r::!ii! 


"FiHl   X    I.ITTI.E    illN'UTE   TIIKKE    WAS    SII.KNC    K 

Chapter  V.  Part  2. 


COMRADES  IN 
ARMS 

A  Tale  of  Two  Hemispheres 

BY 

GENERAL  CHARLES  KING 

AUTHOR    OF  "A    KNIGHT    OF   COLUMBIA,"   "AN    APACHE    PRIN- 
CESS,"   "A  DAUGHTER    OF    THE    SIOUX,"    "THE 
COLONEL'S   DAUGHTER,"    ETC. 

ILLUSTRATIONS   BY 

GEORGE  GIBBS 


AND 


E;  W;  DEMING 


GROSSET    &     DUNLAP 

Publishers    :     ;     New  York 


COPYRIGHT,  1904, 
BY 

THE  HOBART  COMPANY 


CONTENTS. 


Part  One. 

WHAT   HAPPENED   IN   THE   WEST. 

CHAPTER  I.  PAGE. 

"  Number  Thirteen  "  and  the  Mess 3 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  Shots  at   Midnight 23 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Accusing  Insignia 42 

CHAPTER  IV. 

A  Champion  Missing 56 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  Lady  in  the  Case 72 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Knight  and  the   Lady 85 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Red  Man  on  his  Way 97 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Tale  of  the  Telegrams 112 

CHAPTER   IX. 

The  Tale  of  the  Knight 128 

CHAPTER  X. 

A  Settled  Score 141 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Last  Seen — At  Sunset 155 


CHAPTER   XII.  »AGE. 

Abduction 165 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Number  Thirteen —  Gone 176 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  New  Arrest , 193 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Who  Was  the  Woman  ? 211 


Part  Two. 

WHAT   HAPPENED   IN   THE   EAST. 
Letters  Preliminary 231 

CHAPTER  I. 

Manila  and  the  General's  Ball 266 

CHAPTER  II. 

Through  the  Enemy's  Lines 275 

CHAPTER  III. 

Bad  News  from  Samar 286 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Devil's  Work  and  Its  Cure 300 

CHAPTER  V. 

Brevet  Lost— a  Bride  Won 312 


Part  Three. 

WHAT   HAPPENED   IN    GOTHAM. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Another  Soldier  Rewarded 333 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 
Frontispiece 

**  There  Is   Just  One  Woman  in  Creation  Who  Can  Set 

Me  Right  " 95 

"Then  Came  a  Flash  from  that  Clump  of  Willows"    .     117 
**The  Lid  Flew  Open  at  Her  Touch"    ...  ...     191 


PART    ONE 
What  Happened  in  the  West 


COMRADES  IK  AkMS 

CHAPTER    I 

'^NUMBER   THIRTEEN**    AND    THE    MESS. 

THE  first  thing  Pat  Langham  does  when  he  gets 
a  new  uniform,"  said  Captain  Sparker  reflec- 
tively, as  he  studied  the  approaching  officer,  "  is 
to  pay  the  photographer  a  visit." 

"  And  the  last  thing  Pat  Langham  does,"  drawled  Lieu- 
tenant Crabbe  significantly,  "is  to  pay  the  tailor— any- 
thing." 

The  first  speaker  was  a  man  of  forty — stout,  ruddy- 
faced,  and  sturdy ;  a  man  of  substance,  thanks  to  a  well- 
to-do  wife.  The  second  was  a  man  of  thirty,  spare, 
somewhat  angular,  and  possibly  dyspeptic;  a  man  of 
many  moods,  few  of  them  gracious.  Both  speakers  were 
component  parts  of  a  little  group  smoking  and  chatting 
lazily  on  the  veranda  of  the  officers'  mess.  It  w^as  just 
after  luncheon  on  a  June  day,  and  the  inspector  general 
was  officially  visiting  the  post.  The  sun  was  hot,  the 
shade  was  alluring.  Every  man  was  hoping  the  inspector 
would  not  turn  out  the  garrison  in  full  uniform.     Every 


4  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

man  was  ruefully  certain  that  that  was  just  what  the 
inspector  would  do. 

At  ithat Moment,  however,  the  inspector  was  closeted 
somewhere  with  the  commanding  officer.  Luncheon  had 
been  over  and  done  with  at  the  colonel's  half  an  hour  at 
least,  for  the  ladies  had  been  out  on  the  piazza  scanning 
the  neighbors  and  fanning  themselves  just  that  length  of 
time.  There  were  at  the  moment  three  of  them  in  the 
household  of  Colonel  Mack — his  wife,  his  wife's  married 
sister,  Mrs.  .Cullin,  and  his  niece,  Miss  Flora  Cullin.  All 
three  were  in  evidence,  as  were  the  senior  major,  the 
adjutant,  and  one  or  two  "youngsters" — lieutenants  being 
much  favored  in  the  observant  eyes  of  the  niece.  But 
the  post  commander  and  his  official  guest  were  not  of  the 
party,  and  the  regimental  quartermaster,  who  had  lunched 
with  his  colonel,  declared  as  he  came  hurrying  along  by 
the  messroom  that  he  hadn't  even  an  inkling  of  what 
the  inspector's  plans  might  be.  "  He's  busy  with  the  Old 
Man  behind  closed  doors,"  said  the  quartermaster  irrev- 
erently. "  Something  deep  and  mysterious,  I  dare  say,  for 
"  Old  Hardtack  "  took  the  colonel  aside  before  we  were 
fairly  through  lunch.  Briggs  and  I  had  to  choke  off,"  he 
continued  regretfully,  for  Mr.  Potts  was  fond  of  the  good 
things  of  life,  and  had  not  too  many  of  his  own  at  home. 
"  Mr.  Fleshpots,"  Crabbe  had  delicately  referred  to  him 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  6 

on  one  occasion,  still  memorable  at  the  mess.  These 
were  the  ante-reorganization  days,  when  adjutant  and 
quartermaster  were  still,  as  they  had  been  for  nearly  a 
century,  doing  five  officers'  duty  on  one  officer's  pay — 
when  the  regimental  staff  was  chosen  from  the  lieu- 
tenants, not  the  captains.  Potts,  a  poor  man  at  best,  was 
wedded  to  a  woman  poorer  than  himself,  a  woman  who 
bore  him  many  children  and  complaints,  both  of  which 
he  accepted  with  Christian  fortitude  and  resignation.  A 
meek  man  was  Potts — in  the  family  circle — but,  like 
many  a  wedded  warrior,  what  he  would  submit  to  at 
home  was  no  safe  criterion  of  what  he  might  submit 
to  abroad.  Crabbe  discovered  this  the  oft-remembered 
night  of  his  unwarrantable  witticism.  Potts  turned  on 
him — it  was  a  mess  dinner  in  honor  of  a  former  colonel 
become  a  brigadier — with  a  rejoinder  that  left  its  sting 
to  this  day.  Crabbe  was  not  one  of  those  that  hailed 
him  as  he  came  scurrying  down  the  sidewalk.  They  had 
exchanged  no  word  since  the  episode  referred  to.  But 
Potts  was  bombarded  with  questions,  for  with  every  other 
man  of  the  party  he  was  a  pet.  They  had  a  way  of  say- 
ing that  Potts  was  "  square  from  the  ground  up/*  and 
"  without  a  mean  streak  in  his  build,"  and  when  men 
speak  thus  of  their  quartermaster  he  is  an  official  of 
exalted  virtue. 


6  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

But  Potts  couldn't  stop.  He  was  in  a  hurry.  "  Ask 
Briggs,"  was  his  hasty  answer,  "  Fm  blessed  if  I  know. 
Got  to  send  ambulance  over  to  meet  the  Flyer."  Then, 
carrying  the  tail  of  his  remarks  clear  across  the  road- 
way, with  his  mustache  bristling  over  the  right  shoulder, 
he  wound  up  with,  "  Or  ask  Langham — he  was  stalled 
into  the  confab." 

It  was  this  parting  shot  that  drew  all  eyes  on  the 
designated  officer.  It  was  his  spick  and  span,  immacu- 
late garb,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  there  were  four 
different  photographs  of  the  one  subject,  that  called  forth 
the  comment  of  Captain  Sparker.  It  was  Madame 
Rumor  that  reinforced  the  ill-natured  fling  of  his  brother 
officer,  Mr.  Crabbe.  In  some  way  or  other,  every  man 
present  had  recently  heard  something  to  the  same  effect. 
At  all  events  no  one  verbally  rebuked  the  epigram.  Some 
few  rewarded  it  with  a  chuckle.  One  officer,  however, 
turned ;  looked  squarely  at  the  speaker  a  second  or  two ; 
thought  better  of  an  impulse  to  speak;  arose;  stepped 
back  into  the  darkened  hallway ;  took  his  forage-cap  from 
a  peg;  went  through  the  reading  room  to  the  side  ver- 
anda, and  from  the  Venetian  window  on  that  front,  gazed 
thoughtfully  at  the  approaching  comrade. 

He  merited  a  second  glance,  this  new-comer,  and  gen- 
erally got  it,  from  men,  and  more  than  a  second  from 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  7 

many  women.  He  was  tall,  straight,  and  slender,  sinewy, 
finely  built,  and  favored,  moreover,  with  a  well-shaped 
head  and  singularly  handsome,  soldierly  face.  He  was 
fair  of  skin  and  hair,  yet  dark-eyed.  His  nose  and  chin 
were  of  the  Grecian  type,  his  mouth  finely  chiseled,  and 
shaded  by  a  sweeping,  blonde  mustache.  He  was 
dressed  with  exceeding  care  in  the  nattiest  of  fatigue 
uniforms.  His  cap,  sack-coat,  and  trousers  were  new 
and  of  most  approved  cut  and  finish.  The  gHstening 
eagle,  cord,  shoulder-straps,  and  regimental  badge  were 
of  fine  gold  wire,  deftly  embroidered.  The  block  letters, 
U.  S.,  on  the  black  mohair  braiding  of  the  collar  were, 
as  someone  had  ascertained,  and  advertised,  of  solid 
gold,  yet  in  shape  and  size  closely  followed  the  regula- 
tions. This  could  not  be  said  that  year  of  the  coat  collar 
itself,  which  was  very  high  and  stifif  and  straight — very 
Prussian  and  military  in  effect ;  very  becoming,  too,  with 
the  narrow  bordering  line  of  gleaming  white.  The  cap 
visor,  also,  dodged  the  unbecoming  slope  of  the  regula- 
tion of  the  day  and  curved  closely  down  over  the  hand- 
some dark  eyes.  The  snow^y  stripe  of  the  trousers  was 
fully  half  an  inch  wider  than  authorized.  The  coat  was 
cut  with  very  square-shouldered  effect;  very  snug,  too, 
at  the  waist  and  back  and  hips,  yet  the  flat  braided  edges 
lay  trimly  together  from  the  throat  to  the  squared  cor- 


8  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

ners  at  the  bottom,  innocent  of  the  unsightly,  gaping 
effect  so  noticeable  in  so  many  specimens  of  that  most 
indefensible  garment.  Just  as  much  of  white  cuff  as 
of  white  collar  was  visible.  Just  as  snug-fitting  and  spot- 
less were  the  white,  wash-leather  gloves.  Just  as  im- 
maculate and  shapely  were  the  natty  boots.  Take  him 
all  in  all,  Mr.  Langham  was  as  presentable  a  soldier  as 
the  regiment  had  ever  seen.  Yet  there  was  many  a  man 
in  the  regiment  who  did  not  seem  to  like  him.  There 
were  one  or  two  whose  dislike  bordered  close  on  hate. 

Perhaps  it  was  his  serene  indifference  to  either  dislike 
or  hate,  to  comment  or  criticism,  that  made  Mr.  Langham 
so  distinctly  a  mark  for  the  slings  and  arrows  of  his 
detractors.  They  could  have  found  it  possible,  perhaps, 
to  forgive  his  superiority  in  dress,  bearing,  and  gen- 
eral appearance.  What  they  could  not  forgive  was  that 
he  should  rise  superior  to  every  effort  thus  far  made  to 
"  take  him  down."  He  was  twenty-seven,  well-born,  well- 
bred,  well-educated,  well-favored.  He  rode,  danced,  and 
"  tennised  "  finely.  He  drilled,  shot,  and  studied  fairly. 
He  never  meddled  with  other  men's  business,  and  he  re- 
sented their  meddling  with  his.  He  never  was  uncivil, 
even  to  those  who  would  be,  and  had  been,  uncivil  to  him, 
but  his  civility  was  of  a  sort  that  rasped  them  more  than 
overt  affront — it  savored  so  much  of  utter  indifference.  He 


COMRADES    IN   ARMS  9 

never  spoke  a  woman's  name  except  in  respect,  and  never 
at  all  when  only  men  were  present.  He  was  genial  and 
courteous  to  men  whom  he  liked,  but  such  men  seemed 
few  He  had  hardly  a  flaw  in  his  physical  make-up,  and 
as  to  moral  obliquities,  no  man  in  the  regiment  could 
hazard  a  sustainable  criticism.  He  had  entered  service 
from  civil  life  five  years  earlier.  He  had  been  known  to 
this  regiment  only  five  months — promoted  from  one  where 
most  men  were  friends,  to  one  where  all  men  were 
strangers.  Not  one  of  the  twenty  who  called  to  bid  him 
welcome  within  the  week  of  his  arrival  had  he  ever  seen 
before.  A  limited  few  he  had  heard  of — cared  little 
to  see  again. 

He  came  from  a  command  long  stationed  in  the  East, 
to  one  that  had  never  seen  anything  but  the  West — much 
of  the  time  a  wild  West,  indeed.  He  played  a  fair  hand 
at  whist,  and  no  hand  at  poker.  He  seemed  to  like  Bor- 
deaux, but  couldn't  bear  Bourbon.  It  was  never  on  tap 
at  his  quarters.  He  cared  little  for  billiards,  and  less  for 
pool.  He  joined  the  officers'  mess  the  day  after  his  com- 
ing, and  was  absent  from  dinner  almost  every  evening 
of  the  fortnight  that  followed.  It  added  not  to  his  popu- 
larity among  the  bachelors  that  he  was  so  welcomed  of 
the  Benedicks.  These  latter  were  not  to  blame:  their 
wives  enjoyed  the  talk  of  a  man  w^ell  versed  in  society's 


10  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

ways,  who  was  fresh  from  the  far  East,  and  could  be 
drawn  out  as  to  metropolitan  doings,  dances,  dinners,  and 
the  like.  He  looked  well  in  the  conventional  black  and 
white  of  evening  garb,  and  was  doubtless  surprised  to 
find  that  so  few  of  his  new  brethren  ever  wore  it.  They 
dined  and  danced  in  uniform,  as  we  had  for  years  on  the 
frontier,  even  after  a  merciful  war  secretary  ordained  that 
for  purely  social  affairs  civilian  evening  dress  might  be 
forgiven.  He  was  properly  attentive  to  all  the  married 
women,  from  the  colonel's  wife  to  the  bride  of  Second 
Lieutenant  Callow,  only  just  joined.  He  was  not  too 
attentive  to  any  one  of  the  few  maidens,  and  thereby 
piqued  the  curiosity  and  interest  of  nearly  all.  He  spent 
some  time  in  fitting  up  his  quarters,  he  or  his  servant 
doing  all  the  curtain  draping,  picture  hanging,  carpet 
laying,  rug  beating,  etc.,  etc.,  despite  a  hint  or  two  from 
a  woman  or  two  that  in  that  sort  of  thing  the  touch  of 
a  feminine  hand,  the  taste  of  a  feminine  eye,  was  ever 
essential  to  happy  results.  The  men  were  speedily  telling 
tales  about  Langham's  luxurious  ways.  "  Silk  bed- 
spreads, begad !  "  said  Cross  disdainfully,  "  and  tissue 
paper  petticoats  on  the  lamps,  camel's  hair  shawls  on  the 
floor — well,  if  it  wasn't  camel's  hair  what  was  it  ?  "  This 
to  his  wife.  "  Embroidered  sofa-pillows,  embroidered 
pillow-shams;  yes,  more  jimcracks  and  tomfoolery  than 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  11 

most  any  women  I  ever  knew.  Why,  when  I  was  a 
youngster  the  best  we  had  was  a  hospital  cot  and  horse 
blankets." 

Langham  raised  a  storm,  however,  when  to  his  other 
iniquities  he  added  four  o'clock  tea,  and  smilingly  invited 
his  various  hostesses  of  that  initial  fortnight  to  drop  in 
and  partake.  They  had  all  heard  by  that  time  of  his 
expensively  furnished  quarters,  and  many  women  were 
eager  to  see  and  judge  for  themselves.  Then  it  transpired 
that  Fox,  the  English  servant  he  had  brought  with  him, 
was  an  adept  in  the  gentle  art  of  brewing  tea,  that  Mr. 
Langham's  tea  service  was  both  pretty  and  costly,  that 
he  had  photograph  albums  filled  with  pictures  of  very 
modish-looking  people,  one  of  them  being  given  up  to 
professionals  of  the  stage,  many  of  whom  had  scrawled 
their  autographs  across  the  polished  surfaces.  These 
were  mines  of  interest  for  maids  and  matrons  both,  these 
exiles  of  the  far  frontier,  and  for  these  four  months  after 
his  coming  no  garrison  function  called  forth  so  many  of 
the  one  sex  and  so  few  of  the  other  as  Langham's  Sun- 
day afternoons.  It  was  an  innovation  his  brother  officers, 
bar  half  a  dozen,  declared  they  "  couldn't  stand  for." 

But  that  wasn't  all.  There  were  six  companies  of  in- 
fantry and  four  of  cavalry  that  spring  at  the  post.  The 
officers  often  rode  out  with  the  hounds,  the  girls  with  the 


U  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

officers.  With  the  exception  of  the  few  that  owned  their 
own  mounts,  they  all  used  troop  horses.  The  men,  to 
a  man,  and  to  the  best  of  their  powers,  rode  the  army 
seat  in  the  army  saddle,  either  McClellan,  Whitman,  or 
Wint.  Langham  came  early  in  February,  his  household 
belongings  early  in  March,  his  horses,  two,  early  in  April, 
and  with  them  sensation,  indeed.  They  were  beautiful 
bays,  with  black  points  and  banged  tails — ^blooded,  mettle- 
some creatures,  as  every  trooper  could  see  before  ever 
they  were  stripped.  They  were  stalled  in  the  little  shed 
stable  in  rear  of  his  quarters.  He  never  so  much  as 
hinted  that  he  would  be  glad  to  obtain  government  forage 
— that  might  have  opened  a  chance  for  a  snub;  it  was 
hauled  out  from  town,  a  big  load — oats,  bran,  and  hay, 
that  must  have  cost  him  a  month's  stipend.  But  the 
climax  came  when,  after  the  two  had  been  limbered  and 
exercised,  groomed  till  they  glistened — another  func- 
tion in  which  Fox  excelled — the  dancing,  delighted  pair 
were  brought  round  to  the  front  of  the  quarters  one 
bright  Saturday  morning,  equipped  with  Melton  bridles 
and  English  hunting  saddles,  with  every  bit,  buckle,  and 
chain  gleaming  with  polish,  and  Mr.  Langham  stepped 
forth  in  a  civilian  riding  suit,  whipcord  breeches  and  pig- 
skin leggins  and  riding  crop  of  the  most  approved  pattern, 
but  something  utterly  strange  to  nine  out  ten  denizens  of 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  13 

Fort  Minneconjou.  "  Good  Lord,  look  at  them  pants !  " 
exclaimed  one  old-timer,  disdain  and  amaze  commingling 
in  his  tone.  Even  the  conservatives  could  see  nothing  to 
approve  of  in  those  bulging,  baggy,  shapeless  togs,  tight 
cut  at  the  knee,  for  this  was  '97.  Foreign  fashions  had 
not  then  reached  the  far  frontier.  The  old-school  trooper 
gazed  in  disgust  at  the  hmite  Scole  outfit  and  swore  that  if 
only  a  white  man — by  which  he  meant  a  cavalryman — 
were  in  command  of  the  post  no  such  absurd  exhibit  of 
monkeyshines  would  be  permitted.  The  fact  that  Colonel 
Mack  should  nod  approval  as  the  lieutenant  trotted  away, 
"  actually  jiggering  up  and  down,"  rising  in  his  stirrups, 
was  past  comprehension  and  much  past  patience.  That 
was  bad  enough  as  a  starter;  but,  when  challenged  and 
even  dared  to  come  out  and  ride  "  cross  country  "  all  cut 
up  with  irrigating  ditches  and  prairie  dog  holes,  Lang- 
ham  calmly  accepted,  his  fine  bay  guiding  by  a  mere  touch 
of  the  rein,  taking  the  leaps  in  his  stride,  trailing  close 
after  the  hounds  every  rod  of  a  six-mile  chase,  and  trail- 
ing after  him  nine-tenths  of  the  field.  That  night  there 
was  well-nigh  a  mob  at  the  mess,  and  Major  Baker,  of 
the  cavalry,  presiding  officer  thereof,  left  his  chair  and  the 
premises.  The  youngsters  were  planning  some  devil- 
ment, some  scheme  to  "  take  Langham  down,"  and  Baker 
would  neither  countenance  nor  condemn  it.     Langham, 


U  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

dining  at  the  doctor's,  heard  naught  of  the  plan  until 
nearly  eleven.  He  had  been  playing  whist.  He  was  in 
evening  dress,  civilian  throughout,  and  under  the  lamp- 
post nearest  his  quarters  he  met  one  of  the  few  men  to 
whom  as  yet  he  had  taken  a  fancy — Jim  Gridley,  a  subal- 
tern of  cavalry,  some  years  his  senior,  and  Gridley  pro- 
posed their  having  a  pipe  in  his  rooms.  There  he  quietly 
suggested  that  Langham  change  to  uniform  if  he  intended 
going  to  the  mess  before  turning  in.  Langham  asked  why. 
Gridley  answered  that,  while  the  colonel  had  ruled  in 
Langham's  favor  that  civilian  evening  dress  could  be 
worn  at  social  functions  such  as  a  dance  or  a  dinner,  it 
would  be  unwise  to  take  undue  advantage  and  go  else- 
where, even  to  the  mess,  except  in  uniform.  "  You  take 
too  many  chances,  as  it  is,"  said  he  as  quietly. 

"  You  mean  I  would  be  taking  other  chances  if  I  went 
there,  now,''  said  Langham,  with  a  downward  glance  at 
his  broad  shirtfront  and  dainty  pearl  studs.  Gridley 
gave  no  answer.     "  Let's  go,  then,"  said  Langham. 

"  Not  as  you  are,"  said  Gridley,  and  the  elder  man  and 
stronger  will  prevailed. 

But  it  chafed  and  nettled  Langham.  He  knew  there 
was  a  feeling  against  him  among  the  dozen  that  made  up 
the  mess.  "  Baker's  dozen  "  they  named  it  after  Lang- 
ham's  joining  had  made  it  thirteen.     In  part,  he  was  told. 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  15 

it  was  due  to  the  old  superstition  against  the  number  and 
the  possibility  of  having  to  sit  thirteen  at  table.  In  the 
main,  he  was  sure,  it  was  caused  by  a  certain  narrowness 
and  provincialism  in  the  mess,  due  to  its  long  existence 
beyond  the  pale  of  civilization  and  the  light  of  social 
amenities  as  practiced  in  the  far  East.  That  it  would 
have  been  wiser  on  his  part  to  adapt  himself,  rather,  to 
their  ways,  and  only  gradually  to  introduce  those  that 
obtained  in  his  former  regiment,  had  occurred  to  him 
only  to  be  rejected.  Langham  had  the  courage  of  his 
convictions.  What  he  was  doing  was  right ;  therefore 
would  it  be  wrong  not  to  do  it.  Might  it  not  be 
more  politic  ?  was  asked.  Doubtless ;  but  Langham  could 
never  have  succeeded  as  a  politician.  These  were  matters 
he  had  talked  over  with  Gridley  before— that  they  talked 
of  earnestly  that  April  night,  and  had  never  since  dis- 
cussed at  all.  Gridley  found  it  useless,  and  so  refrained. 
It  was  about  this  time  the  mess  began  to  refer  to 
Number  Thirteen  as  "  Pat  " — as  incongruous  a  forename 
as  could  well  have  been  combined  with  his  strictly  Saxon 
patronymic.  Only  son  of  an  English  mother  who  had 
early  met,  loved,  and  married  a  gifted  secretary  of  the 
American  legation,  he  had  been  named  for  the  father, 
and  that  father  for  England's  famous  young  statesman 
of  an  earlier  day  and  generation.     As   "  William   Pitt 


16  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

Berkely  Langham "  the  youngster  was  registered  in 
school  days  at  Eton.  "  Mr.  William  Pitt  Langham  "  he 
later  appeared  on  the  rolls  of  Yale — the  Berkely  would 
not  have  been  elided  had  he  gone  to  Harvard — and  then 
the  sire  was  taken  from  earth,  and  the  youth  reverted  to 
the  dominion  of  a  fond,  doting,  and  unwise  mother,  who, 
when  he  chose  the  army  for  his  career  and  old  and  influ- 
ential friends  of  his  father  obtained  his  commission,  had 
his  first  cards  duly  engraved  at  Tiffany's : 

Mr.  Wm,  Pitt  Berkely  Langham 

— th  Regiment  of  Infantry 

£/.  S,  Army 

This  card  went  with  him  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  where  it 
was  speedily  laughed  out  of  barracks.  He  ordered  his 
own  before  he  was  shifted  to  Buffalo,  finding  his  father's 
wisdom  unimpeachable,  and  did  modestly  well  in  society 
as  Mr.  William  P.  Langham.  But  a  winter  in  Washing- 
ton, close  to  the  throne  and  the  embassies,  plunged  him 
again  into  polynomials,  and,  at  his  mother's  instance,  a 
new  plate  was  prepared :  "  Mr.  Wm.  Pitt  Berkely-Lang- 
ham,"  this  one  read,  and  was  her  entire  joy.  She  sounded 
the  most  courteous  of  adjutants-general  upon  the  pro- 
priety of  having  her  boy  so  gazetted  in  the  annual  official 
register,  and  was  surprised  to  hear  that  it  could  be  done 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  17 

only  through  Act  of  Congress.  "  Pitt,"  as  he  had  been 
dubbed  at  school,  came  out  to  the  frontier  with  cards  on 
the  Buffalo  plan,  which  passed  current  everywhere,  and 
all  might  have  gone  well  but  for  the  mother's  fatal  pro- 
pensity for  enlightening  the  community  as  to  her  boy's 
aristocratic  lineage.  She  zi'ould  address  her  letters  in 
her  own  way.  He  heard,  of  course,  as  people  in  garri- 
son are  apt  to  hear  of  fun  at  their  expense,  that  men  and 
women  both  were  saying  satirical  things,  but  he  gave  no 
sign.  One  day,  however,  a  telegram  in  its  brown  envel- 
ope came  to  the  mess,  the  Hibernian  messenger,  Bugler 
Brannigan,  inquiring  inocently  for  ''  Lootn't  Pat  Lang- 
ham,"  and  the  mess  went  wild.  Major  Baker,  as  in  duty 
bound,  would  have  rebuked  the  youngster,  but  Crabbe 
had  seized  the  envelope  and,  with  a  shriek  of  delight,  pro- 
claimed Brannigan  guiltless.  The  fault  lay  with  the  tele- 
graph people.  The  stigma  went  from  the  bugler  to  the 
operator,  but  the  name  stuck  to  the  victim. 

Sparker's  aspersion,  recorded  in  the  first  paragraph 
hereof,  had  some  foundation  in  fact.  Four  photographs 
of  Mr.  Langham  had  been  taken  in  as  many  years,  the 
last  one  at  the  flourishing  frontier  city  of  Silver  Hill, 
close  at  hand.  That  three  of  the  four,  including  the  last, 
were  taken  at  the  mother's  behest,  no  one  at  Fort  Minne- 
conjou  had  been  told.    They  drew  their  own  conclusions, 


18  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

which,  as  a  rule,  were  not  weighty,  and  Langham  let 
them.  From  the  time  of  his  coming  until  on  or  about 
the  15th  of  May  that  gentleman  had  seemed  impervious 
to  either  satire  or  criticism.  Then  on  a  sudden  there  had 
come  a  change  from  the  attitude  of  calm  superiority. 
"  Pat "  Langham,  from  being  the  most  imperturbable 
swell  at  the  post,  became,  within  a  few  days  and  two  let- 
ters, a  sad,  harassed,  and  obviously  anxious  man.  Then 
many  letters  began  to  come,  letters  that  bore  no  seal,  no 
crest,  no  scrawling  superscription — business  letters,  law- 
yers' letters,  tradesmen's  letters,  alas,  in  strange  prepon- 
derance. Then  the  adjutant's  office  developed  a  leak.  It 
wasn't  Briggs,  the  close-mouthed,  loyal  adjutant.  He  was 
furious  when  he  heard  of  it.  But  it  was  some  one  of 
Briggs's  clerks.  A  well-known  firm  of  tailors  had  sent 
to  the  adjutant-general  a  bill  of  some  $500  against  Mr. 
Langham.  Another  firm  had  contributed  a  second,  less 
in  size  but  equal  in  age.  Both  declared  that  Mr.  Lang- 
ham declined  to  notice  their  appeals,  and,  therefore,  they 
demanded  action.  The  matter  had  been  referred  through 
intermediate  headquarters  to  Colonel  Mack,  who  in  turn 
referred  it  to  Lieutenant  Langham,  temporarily  his 
own  company  commander,  and  the  reply  of  that  officer 
was  something  beyond  the  powers  of  Crabbe  and  his  cro- 
nies to  ascertain.     Two  things,  however,  became  appar- 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  19 

ent  at  once — one  was  that  Langham,  who  had  been  look- 
ing careworn  and  anxious,  "  braced  up  "  unaccountably. 
"  Treats  me  with  hauteur  and  acts  more  like  a  lord  than 
ever,"  snarled  Crabbe.  "  Why,  if  I'd  had  such  a 
complaint  to  answer  Fd  want  to  hide  my  head  some- 
where." 

"  Try  your  stein,  Crabbe,"  smoothly  suggested  Gridley, 
"  it's  big  enough."  It  had  become  unsafe  to  sneer  at 
Langham  when  Gridley  was  by,  and  the  mess  got  to  know 
it ;  but  what  puzzled  the  mess  more  than  a  little  was  the 
second  thing  that  had  become  so  suddenly  apparent. 
Lieutenant  and  Adjutant  Briggs,  one  of  the  elders  of  the 
subaltern  element,  a  poor  man  financially,  but  a  treasure 
to  his  post  commander,  began  to  "  cultivate  "  Langham, 
and  Crabbe  watched  the  symptoms  with  astonishment  that 
was  mingled  with  alarm.  Briggs  must  soon  reach  his 
captaincy  and,  whether  he  did  or  no,  must  surely  lose  the 
adjutancy,  for  the  law  of  the  day  limited  him  to  four 
years.  Crabbe  knew  the  colonel  was  already  casting 
about  for  his  successor,  loath  as  he  was  to  part  with  him. 
Crabbe  long  had  had  his  eye  on  the  adjutancy,  and  up  to 
the  time  of  Langham's  coming  his  hopes  had  been  high. 
It  was  incredible,  he  now  said,  that  the  Old  Man 
would  pick  out  for  the  place  a  junior  first  lieutenant,  when 
he  could  have  the  choice  of  several  seniors  of  experience ; 


20  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

but  his  heart  failed  him,  even  as  he  spoke — Mack  had 
shown  such  partiaUty  for  Langham.  There  was  another 
who  looked  on  Langham  with  similar  jealousy,  but  not 
such  virulent  hate.  One  was  enough  for  the  purpose, 
however.  Crabbe  heard  of  Langham's  misfortune  with 
joy  Hke  that  of  Shylock  over  Tubal's  tidings  and  the 
wreck  of  Antonio's  galleons,  but  joy  turned  to  doubt,  and 
triumph  to  hate,  when  he  saw  that,  so  far  from  breaking, 
Langham  stood  warmer  with  the  colonel  and  the  colonel's 
staff,  and  this  was  the  situation  on  this  bright  June  day 
when  Sparker  and  Crabbe  were  launching  their  shafts  at 
the  unconscious  head  of  the  coming  man. 

Reaching  the  broad  plank-way  in  front  of  the  mess, 
Mr.  Langham  turned  to  his  right  and  came  straight  up 
the  steps.  That  awkward  silence  had  fallen  on  the  group 
that  tells  the  observant  latest  arrival  that  he  or  she  has 
been  the  subject  of  unfriendly  remark.  Women  dis- 
semble better  under  such  circumstances,  if  not  under  all. 
Some  of  the  youngsters  made  way  for  him.  None  of  the 
elders  stirred. 

"  Any  news,  Langham  ? "  queried  Palmer,  seeking 
relief  and  information  in  one  breath. 

"  Lots,"  was  the  laconic  reply,  and  Langham  was  look- 
ing straight  at  Crabbe  as  he  ascended  the  steps. 

"  What — for  a  starter?  "  asked  Palmer,  because  he  saw 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  21 

he  was  expected  to  ask,  even  though  good  judgment 
counseled  silence. 

*'  For  a  starter  ? "  repeated  Langham  deliberately. 
"  Why,  for  a  starter,  it  seems  we've  started  the  Minnecon- 
jou  School  for  Scandal,  with  Crabbe  as  Grand  Gabbler." 

Crabbe  turned  white  as  he  squirmed  out  of  his  chair 
and  faced  his  accuser,  whose  fingers  were  twitching 
eagerly.  "  I'll  trouble  you  to  explain  that,  Mr.  Lang- 
ham,"  he  began. 

But  by  this  time  other  men  were  on  their  feet.  Gridley 
v/as  coming  swiftly  round  the  corner.  Sparker,  senior 
officer  present,  was  heaving  slowly  up  from  the  settee. 
It  was  high  time  for  him  to  interpose.  Langham  and 
Crabbe,  each  white  with  wrath,  the  one  cool,  resolute,  and 
ready;  the  other  quivering,  raging,  yet  not  unprepared, 
were  confronting  each  other  not  four  paces  apart. 

"  Gentlem.en,  this  must  stop !  Not  another  word !  "  said 
Sparker,  striding  between  them. 

"If  you  say  that  of  me,"  burst  in  Crabbe,  over 
Sparker's  shoulder,  "  you're  a  liar !  " 

"  He  does  say  it  of  you,  and  he  doesn't  lie,"  responded 
another  voice — Gridley's,  in  cool,  measured  tone.  "  Come 
with  me,  Langham ;  you  know  it  means  arrest  if  you  stay 
here."  Then  he  whirled  about  and  confronted  the 
astounded  group.     "  My  friend  spoke  the  truth.  Captain 


22  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

Sparker,  and  you  know  it,  and  I'm  with  him  if  Mr. 
Crabbe  has  anything  further  to  say." 

Down  the  line  came  the  peal  of  the  bugle,  the  summons 
to  duty — whatever  it  might  be. 

"  I'll  see  you  to-night  when  this — this  business  is  over," 
screamed  Crabbe,  after  the  departing  pair.  But  Langham, 
very  straight,  never  turned  to  look  back  or  answer.  Grid- 
ley  was  swiftly  marching  him  away. 

"  By  gad,  it's  inspection  in  full  uniform !  See,  there 
goes  the  orderly !  "  cried  Palmer.  "  No  time  for  other 
foolishness." 

"  But  I'll  make  him  eat  his  words  to-night,"  raved 
Crabbe,  his  voice  now  hot  with  passion.  "  Both  of  them 
for  that  matter." 

Most  men,  however,  were  silent  as  they  hurried  to  their 
quarters.  They  knew  Langham's  justification.  They 
doubted  his  being  made  to  ''  eat  "  a  word.  They  vaguely 
dreaded  the  outcome,  and  they  had  reason. 

But  no  man  dreamed  of  such  tragic  sequel  as  was  to 
startle  all  Fort  Minneconjou  within  the  compass  of  the 
coming  night. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE    SHOTS   AT    MIDNIGHT. 

THERE  was  a  dance  that  evening  at  the  post. 
They  always  had  one  when  an  inspector  came. 
They  Hked  to  show  him  they  could  drill,  parade, 
march,  maneuver  all  the  livelong  day,  if  need  be,  then 
waltz  or  polka,  or  even  poker,  all  night.  The  Slite  of  Silver 
Hill  drove  out  to  take  part,  some  of  the  best-known  com- 
ing earher  to  dine.  The  big  assembly  room  was  always 
in  readiness  for  garrison  society,  and  society  in  readiness 
for  such  gayeties,  the  band  and  certain  elders  among  the 
family  men  being  the  only  growlers.  This  time  the  colonel 
intimated  toward  evening  to  Mr.  Briggs  that,  it  being  in 
honor  of  the  inspector  general,  the  dance  should  be  re- 
garded strictly  as  a  military  function,  and  it  might  be  well 
to  suggest  that  full  uniform  should  be  worn.  The  only 
man  in  the  least  likely  to  think  of  wearing  anything  else 
being  Mr.  Langham,  Briggs  dropped  in  at  Langham's  on 
his  way  home  to  dinner,  and  found  Fox  brushing  and 
stowing  away  his  master's  parade  uniform.  The  lieu- 
tenant himself  was  not  in  sight.  "  Gone  out  to  see  the 
'osses,  sir,"  said  Fox,  his  smug,  clean-shaven  face  inscrut- 

23 


24  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

able  as  ever.  That  man  of  Langham's  was  a  living 
menace  to  the  peace  of  mind  of  many  people  at  the  post. 
A  soldier  "  striker  "  in  bygone  days  had  been  the  nearest 
approach  to  a  body  servant  ever  seen  in  the  regiment.  An 
English  combination  of  valet  and  groom  was  something 
almost  unheard  of  on  the  frontier.  Fox  slept  under  his 
master's  roof,  ate  with  the  steward  at  the  officers'  mess, 
and  lived  under  his  officer's  protection,  else  might  living 
have  at  first  been  impossible  in  the  land  where  every  man, 
not  soldier-bred,  was  fiercely  insistent  on  the  theory  that 
he  was  as  good  as  any  other — if  not  vastly  better.  A  posi- 
tion of  voluntary  servitude  no  westerner  could  condone. 
Even  the  rank  and  file  revolted  at  sight  of  Fox.  Hibern- 
ian men-at-arms  had  a  drubbing  in  mind  for  him  before 
he  had  been  a  day  at  the  fort,  but  dropped  all  thought  of 
it  within  the  month.  Fox  volunteered  his  services  at  the 
garrison  "  show,"  and  proved  to  be  a  low  comedian  and 
ventriloquist  of  amazing  powers.  He  leaped  in  a  single 
hour  to  the  height  of  popularity.  Who  could  ever  think 
of  slugging  a  man  who  made  mirth  for  everybody. 

Off  the  stage,  however,  Fox  maintained  an  air  of  pro- 
fessional gravity  and  decorum  absolutely  unimpeachable. 
His  'osses  and  his  'ouse,  it  would  seem,  demanded  all  his 
care  and  attention.  His  eyes  were  blind,  his  ears  deaf  to 
the  allurements  of  kitchen  doors  along  "  the  row  "  and 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  S5 

the  married  quarters  under  the  bluff.  More  than  one 
maid  had  ogled  and  simpered  in  vain.  It  was  whispered 
that  Fox  was  already  blessed,  or  burdened,  with  a  wife 
and  children  in  the  East,  or  somewhere,  but  no  one  knew. 
He  was  a  mite  of  a  man,  barely  five  feet  two,  and  spare  in 
proportion.  He  had  been  a  jockey  perhaps,  a  stable  boy 
surely.  What  people  could  not  understand  was  how  it 
happened  that  one  so  gifted  as  Fox  should  serve  in  so 
hum.ble  a  station. 

"  That  feller  could  get  his  hundred  a  month  easy,  and 
I  offered  him  that,"  said  the  manager  of  the  Alhambra 
Music  Hall  and  Theater  in  town.  But  when  Fox  was  told 
of  this  munificent  bid,  he  so  far  relaxed  from  his  habitual 
attitude  of  professional  stolidity  as  to  uplift  both  brows, 
wink  with  one  eye,  and  pronounce  it  all  gammon.  The 
wiles  and  blandishments  lavished  on  Fox  at  the  few  enter- 
tainments he  had  been  persuaded  to  attend  might  have 
turned  many  a  head,  but  thus  far  had  been  powerless  to 
draw  from  him  aught  of  his  past.  Master  and  man,  each 
in  his  sphere,  Langham  and  Fox  were  objects  of  more 
interest,  curiosity,  and  speculation  than  all  the  official 
inquisitors  that  ever  disturbed  the  garrison. 

Now,  Briggs  did  not  wish  to  convey  an  official  hint 
through  a  domestic  channel.  It  would  have  been  easy  to 
say  to  the  man,  as  he  saw  Langham's  evening  dress  laid 


26  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

out  in  the  back  room,  that  full  uniform  was  the  rule  for 
the  night,  but  he  preferred  to  say  it  to  the  master.  "  I 
wish  to  speak  to  the  lieutenant,"  said  he,  and  started  to  go 
through  to  the  kitchen,  such  being  the  free  and  easy  way 
of  the  frontier,  but  Fox  was  first.  "  I'll  call  Mr.  Lang- 
ham,  sir,"  said  he,  as  he  dropped  his  brushes  and  darted 
ahead.  So  the  adjutant  waited.  Thinking  of  it  later  on, 
it  occurred  to  him  that  he  waited  a  good  while  for  a  man 
who  had  less  than  a  dozen  rods  to  cover.  Langham  was 
a  long  time  coming ;  apologized  for  the  delay,  but  did  not 
explain  it.  He  was  sorry  that  Briggs  had  burdened  him- 
self with  so  unnecessary  a  hint.  "  I  should  have  worn 
my  war  paint,"  said  he,  "  but  didn't  think  to  tell  my  man. 
Er — er,  won't  you  sit  a  while  ?  "  But  Briggs  said  no,  he 
must  hurry  on,  and  so  left  him,  and  then,  half  way  to  his 
own  quarters,  bethought  him  of  another  matter,  turned 
suddenly  back,  and  bolted  in,  for  the  door  still  stood 
invitingly  open. 

"  Langham,"  he  cheerily  called,  "  you  may  have  to 
take  Gridley's  guard  tour  to-morrow.  Grid's  going 
to " 

But  Langham  wasn't  there.  Neither  was  Fox.  This 
time  the  adjutant  pushed  on  through  the  bedroom  to  the 
dens  in  rear.  He  thought  to  find  his  comrade  at  the 
stable.    He  stumbled  on  him  on  the  back  porch.    Master 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  27 

and  man  both  were  there,  so  busily  occupied  that  neither 
had  heard  his  call  nor  heeded  his  coming.  Both  were 
bending  over  a  chest  in  the  endeavor  to  lift  out  a  tray 
that  had  warped  or  jammed.  Some  of  the  contents  had 
been  removed,  as  two  cases  of  japanned  tin,  called  by  our 
English  cousins  "  dispatch  boxes,"  stood  on  the  boarding 
close  by  Langham's  foot.  Two  revolvers  of  handsome 
finish  lay  upon  a  chair.  Some  items  of  hunting  garb  were 
tossed  upon  a  bench.  Between  the  busy  workers  and  pos- 
sible observers  along  the  back  porches  hung  a  canvas 
screen  at  the  west  end,  and  some  India  matting  at  the 
other.  Fox,  tugging  and  breathing  hard,  was  flushed 
with  his  exertions.  Langham,  flushed  possibly  with  im- 
patience, was  saying  something  that  savored  of  rebuke 
and  displeasure.  Briggs  caught,  as  he  issued  from  the 
door,  just  these  words : 

"  Knowing  what  you  do,  then,  you  should  have  got 
everything  ready  at  once.     I  may  start — any  moment." 

Start  at  this  very  moment  at  the  sound  of  the  adjutant's 
soldierly  voice,  he  certainly  did.  Briggs  was  quite  dis- 
concerted at  the  effect  of  his  sudden  coming.  All  he  said 
was,  "  Aw,  Langham,  be  ready  for  guard  in  case  Grid — 
why,  what's  the  matter  ?  "  and,  this  being  said  in  the  ver- 
nacular of  the  service  and  most  matter-of-fact  tone,  there 
was  nothing  to  cause  or  warrant  agitation,  yet  the  tray 


28  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

slipped  from  Fox's  hand ;  Fox  slapped  down  the  lid,  and 
then,  recognizing  the  speaker  and  recovering  his  wits, 
quickly  raised  it,  mumbling,  *'  Beg  pardon,  sir.  Did  I  'urt 
you,  sir  ?  "  for  Langham,  with  a  half-startled  exclamation 
and  a  stern  "  Look  out,  man !  "  straightened  to  his  full 
height  and  stood  almost  glaring  at  Briggs.  For  a  second 
or  two  it  seemed  as  though  suddenly  petrified.  Fox  was 
the  first  to  regain  composure.  He  turned  on  his  master, 
all  solicitude.  "  I  am  'fraid  I  'urt  your  'and,  sir.  May  I 
look,  sir  ?  "    And  that  brought  Langham  to  himself. 

"  You  really  startled  me,  Briggs,"  he  said,  with  sur- 
prising candor.  *'  We've  had  an  eruption  to-day — you'll 
hear  of  it  to-morrow — and  Fm  all  nerves  just  now. 
Guard,  did  you  say?    All  right." 

Then,  having  neither  bid  nor  excuse  to  tarry,  Briggs 
turned  and  left.  There  was  something  about  the  whole 
affair  that  gave  him  concern.  In  common  with  the  rest 
of  the  regiment,  he  had  found  it  hard  at  first  to  get  ac- 
quainted with  Langham.  In  common  with  none  in  the 
regiment,  that  he  knew  of,  save  the  colonel,  he  had  been 
taken  to  a  certain  extent  into  his  confidence,  and  had 
begun  to  respect  his  character  quite  as  much  as  he  had 
admired  his  style.  Briggs  was  a  safe-deposit  box  of  regi- 
mental secrets  and  skeletons,  a  deposit  box  to  which  even 
Mrs.  Briggs  held  no  duplicate  key,  and  thereby  hung  a 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  29 

terrible  tale.  Briggs  never  told  it.  "  He  never  tells  me 
anything,"  was  the  lady's  plaint  to  her  every  intimate, 
and  by  turns,  or  by  twos  or  fours,  that  is  what  they  all 
were — these  other  women.  To  keep  one's  place  as  regi- 
mental adjutant  one  must  keep  his  counsel.  Possibly 
it  was  because  Briggs  had  early  found  that  Mrs.  Briggs 
told  everything,  that  now  he  told  her  nothing.  Certain 
it  was  that  to  no  one  but  his  colonel  would  he  talk  unre- 
servedly of  office  matters.  Many  and  devious  were  the 
good  lady's  devices  to  extract  information ;  sometimes 
merely  suggestive,  such  as,  "  I  hear  Captain  Forbes  got 
another  wigging  this  morning ;  "  sometimes  flatly  asser- 
tive, such  as,  "So  *  K  '  Company  has  to  go  to  Custer. 
Then  the  Blunts  will  get  Carter's  quarters ; "  sometimes 
reproachfully  pleading,  "  Everyone  knows  Mr.  Gridley 
didn't  get  back  until  reveille,  and  that  you  covered  it 
somehow,  yet  you  hide  it  from  me."  They  were  all  mat- 
ters, he  would  say,  the  adjutant's  wife  should  know  noth- 
ing about,  but  her  creed  was  the  contrary.  There  were  no 
matters  she  should  not  know  about.  Briggs's  domestic 
lot  was  not  a  happy  one,  nor  was  hers.  Briggs  took  to 
stopping  at  the  mess  on  stormy  nights,  and  having  a  social 
game  and  a  glass,  for  Mrs.  Briggs  was  rarely  alone,  and 
less  rarely  lonely.  Yet  she  hated  to  have  him  away,  be- 
cause it  looked  as  though  he  "  had  no  use  for  home  "  or 


30  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

for  her.  Finding  that  he  suspected  her  motives  in  cate- 
chising him  as  to  his  movements,  she  resorted  to  the  indi- 
rect— a  pet  device  w^ith  many  a  spouse — and  this,  too,  he 
speedily  sounded  and  set  at  naught.  It  v^as  **  more  than 
many  a  saint  vi^ould  stand,"  was  her  declaration,  both  to 
him  and  to  her  successive  confidants,  for  Mrs.  Briggs  in 
matters  of  feminine  intimacy  blew  hot  and  cold,  being 
one  day  all  impulsive  gush,  the  next  day  barely  on  speak- 
ing terms. 

But  while  she  learned  nothing  from  him  as  to  what 
might  be  going  on  within  the  charmed  circle  of  regimental 
life,  there  is  no  question  that  he  learned  not  a  little  from 
her.  Mrs.  Briggs  was  all  over  the  fort  nearly  every  day 
of  her  life,  and  whatsoever  was  astir  in  the  air  she  was 
almost  sure  to  absorb,  and  equally  sure  to  disseminate.  As 
a  circulating  medium  Mrs.  Briggs  outclassed  the  national 
currency.  Briggs  had  not  been  home  five  minutes  when 
she  came  flying  in  from  the  next  door  neighbor's  and 
began  on  the  threshold  with : 

*'  Well,  I  suppose  you'll  tell  me  there  hasn't  been  a  fear- 
ful scrap  between  Crabbe  and  Langham,  and  they  are 
going  to  meet  to-night  ?  " 

Briggs  only  tolerated  slang  in  men;  he  loathed  it  in 
women,  and  his  hand  went  up  at  once  in  protest,  even  as 
he  turned  his  head  away.     Yet  what  she  told  him  tallied 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  31 

with  what  he  had  heard,  and  it  explained  in  part  the 
obvious  excitement  and  discomposure  shown  by  Langham 
at  his  sudden  coming.  He  wouldn't  discuss  the  matter 
with  his  wife.  He  couldn't  dismiss  it  from  his  thoughts. 
He  had  to  hasten  back  to  his  desk,  he  said,  the  moment 
dinner  was  over,  and  did  so.  "  Old  Hardtack  "  wished 
certain  papers  and  returns  to  be  in  readiness  for  him  first 
thing  in  the  morning,  and  the  clerks  were  at  work  on 
them  now.  Briggs  promised  to  be  home  to  dress  for  the 
dance  by  9.30,  but  he  meant  to  know  the  truth  about  the 
Crabbe-Langham  imbroglio  before  that. 

The  colonel  and  his  guests  were  still  at  table.  Briggs 
could  tell  that  from  the  brilHant  light  in  the  dining  room 
and  the  sounds  of  chat  and  laughter  floating  out  through 
the  wide  open  windows.  The  colonel  was  seizing  the 
opportunity  of  paying  some  social  debts  in  town  and  pleas- 
ing "  Hardtack  "  at  the  same  time.  There  were  old  friends 
of  the  latter  among  the  families  of  Silver  Hill,  and  to 
these  a  dinner  at  the  colonel's  was  a  rare  treat.  The  band, 
despite  the  fact  that  it  had  to  play  for  review,  inspection, 
and  parade  during  a  long  afternoon,  and  that  half  its 
membership  would  have  to  play  for  the  hop  to-night,  was 
at  the  colonel's  doorway  discoursing  sweeter  harmonies 
than  dwelt  at  the  moment  in  the  individual  breasts.  ("The 
colonel  loves  music  with  his  meals,"  said  the  colonel's 


32  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

buxom  helpmate,  to  the  mine-owning  magnate  seated  on 
her  left.)  Briggs  felt  morally  certain  some  of  those 
bandsmen  would  be  in  a  state  of  revolt,  or  inebriety,  by 
thf  time  they  were  wanted  for  the  dance,  and  thanked  his 
stars  it  was  a  matter  the  colonel  and  the  hop  committee 
would  have  to  settle,  not  he.  The  local  laws  prohibited 
the  sale  of  intoxicants  even  in  diluted  form,  but  such 
things  as  "  Kansas  canes,"  "  Nebraska  hand  brooms," 
etc.,  were  to  be  had  in  many  a  shop  in  Silver  Hill — items 
that  were  hollow  shams  when  emptied,  as  it  was  found 
that  each  cane,  when  first  tapped,  contained  perhaps  a 
pint  of  burning  fluid,  and  each  whisk  was  but  a  receptacle 
for  whisky.  Then,  what  couldn't  be  bought  in  one  way 
could  be  "  found  "  in  another.  Drug  stores,  appropriately 
so-called,  were  dispensers  of  spirits  "  for  medicinal  pur- 
poses "  to  such  citizens  as  would  certify  that  their  physi- 
cian prescribed  and  their  malady  demanded  stimulant. 
The  system  resulted  in  prohibition  to  the  reliable  citizen 
and  plenary  indulgence  to  the  worthless.  The  neighbor- 
hood of  the  fort  had  been  cleared  of  the  old-time  "  hog- 
ranches  "  by  the  introduction  of  the  "  canteen,"  where 
soldiers  could  be  served  with  sound  beer,  and  so  saved 
from  evil.  The  "  toughs  "  from  town,  toughs  of  both 
sexes  that  used  to  haunt  those  fort-fringing  hells,  had 
disappeared  with  the  ranches.     An  era  of  "  temperance, 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  33 

soberness,  and  chastity  "  had  dawned  upon  the  garrison 
with  the  advent  of  the  post  exchange,  and  even  the  moral 
nature  of  Silver  Hill  had  soared  to  unaccustomed  heights 
with  the  hegira  of  the  harpies.  The  interminable  shooting 
and  stabbing  affrays  that  diversified  the  rolling  years  had 
become  almost  obsolete.  Desertions,  once  so  frequent, 
were  now  uncommon.  The  guard-house  prison,  once  so 
thronged  at  pay-day,  knew  hardly  an  occupant  as  a  result 
of  a  spree.  The  coroner  who  used  to  count  on  Minne- 
conjou  as  a  fruitful  source  of  revenue,  had  lost  faith  in  it 
as  a  business  proposition ;  and  the  newspaper  men  of  the 
bustHng  mining  metropolis,  six  miles  away,  had  learned 
to  look  not  upon  the  fort  as  longer  ''  red."  There  hadn't 
been  a  ghost  of  a  sensation  there  for  six  months,  and 
Silver  Hill,  unlike  Chicago,  had  tired  of  paying  cash  to 
read  what  wasn't  true. 

Briggs  was  thinking  of  all  this  and  thanking  Heaven  he 
was  not  a  bandsman  this  close  June  evening,  and  wonder- 
ing what  he  could  do  to  stifle  anticipated  complaint  as  he 
tripped  on  briskly  past  the  colonel's  and  took  his  way  to 
the  office.  The  day  had  been  long,  hot,  and  trying.  The 
sun  had  hardly  yet  said  good-night  to  the  valley,  though 
the  fort  lay  deep-nestled  in  the  shadows  of  the  Sagamore 
Range,  and  only  the  crests  of  the  far-away  heights  to  the 
east  still  blushed  at  his  parting  caress.     Briggs  thought 


84  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

whimsically,  as  the  gleam  caught  his  eye,  of  another  com- 
plaint against  Langham — his  imported  fashion  of  bestow- 
ing gratuity  on  servants  and  "  strikers."  The  colonel 
had  told  Briggs  he  would  better  give  Langham  a  hint,  the 
colonel  being  one  of  those  easy-going  mortals  who  pre- 
ferred to  bestow  reproof  vicariously.  Briggs,  just  about 
sunset,  only  six  weeks  earlier,  had  conveyed  his  colonel's 
views  to  Langham,  and  Langham  smiled  and  said  it  was 
the  example  of  the  sun,  a  remark  which  called  for  further 
explanation. 

"  Look  at  those  heights,"  said  he,  "  every  one  of  them 
tipped  with  gold."  Briggs  told  Mrs.  Mack  of  this  jeii 
d'esprit  on  the  part  of  their  recent  acquisition.  She  was 
of  that  honest  and  kindly  and  numerous  class  so  puzzling 
to  our  transatlantic  visitors — people  who  describe  each 
other  as  most  hospitable,  as  though  the  charming  qual- 
ity were  something  by  way  of  an  expectorant — and  good 
Mrs.  Mack,  not  quite  seeing  the  point,  yet  striving  to  be 
appreciative,  passed  it  on  delightedly  next  day,  as  nearly 
as  she  could  recall  it,  to  her  crony,  the  chaplain's  wife, 
who  naturally  saw  nothing  either  witty  or  apposite  in 
Langham's  having  said  the  eastern  horizon  was  trimmed 
with  gilt.  Nor  could  Mrs.  Mack  explain  it.  She  only 
knew,  she  said,  that  as  Mr.  Briggs  told  it  there  seemed 
something  real  funny  about  the  thing.    Perhaps,  after  all, 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  35 

she  concluded,  it  was  something  "  dooble  ontong,"  and 
that  she  despised.  So  the  mot  got  no  more  notice  than  it 
deserved. 

"  But,  talking  of  tips,"  mused  Briggs,  meeting  Lang- 
ham's  own  man  at  the  minute,  just  at  the  office  door, 
"  that  man  is  tipsy."  Never  before  had  Fox  shown  sign 
of  inebriety,  at  least  at  Minneconjou.  Langham  usually 
left  his  sideboard  keys  with  his  groom,  coupled  with 
instruction  to  see  that  comrade  officers  visiting  in  the  lieu- 
tenant's absence  were  invited  to  enter,  rest,  and  have  a 
peg,  a  beer,  or  a  weed,  as  the  mood  possessed  the  caller. 
Fox  had  been  discretion  itself  and  all  fidelity  as  to  his 
employer's  instructions,  to  the  end  that  certain  officers 
were  more  frequent  callers  when  Langham  v/as  out  than 
when  he  was  in,  for  Langham  discriminated,  which  Fox 
did  not.  Fox  had  appeared  all  straight  at  6.30  P.  M., 
but  now  it  was  going  on  eight.  He  had  had  ample  time 
to  get  his  master  into  evening  dress  for  the  doctor's  din- 
ner ;  then,  if  so  minded,  to  help  himself  to  surplus  Scotch 
and  soda.  He  had  been  over-tasked  during  the  afternoon. 
The  resort  to  stimulant  was  not  unnatural.  Briggs  noted 
the  glassy  eye,  the  droop  about  the  corners  of  the  shaven 
lips,  and  the  hurried  fumble  at  the  hat  brim  as  he  touched 
it  in  darting  by,  and  Briggs  had  by  no  means  forgotten  it 
when  the  summons  came  some  hours  later.    It  seems  that 


36  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

what  took  Fox  to  the  adjutant's  office  at  this  late  hour 
was  a  note. 

Dear  Briggs  [it  said] :  I  find  I  have  to  meet  the  westbound 
express  in  town  to-night.  She  was  reported  two  hours  late  at 
the  Niobrara.  I  have  to  hurry  to  dinner  at  Dr.  Warren's  and  dis- 
like to  call  at  the  colonel's  with  my  request,  knowing  how  many 
guests  he  has.  May  I  ask  you  to  arrange  it  for  me.  I  regret 
that  it  will  probably  prevent  my  attending  the  hop.    Yours, 

Langham. 

It  must  indeed  be  an  important  matter  that  could  take 
Langham  away  from  a  dance,  mused  Briggs.  Especially, 
and  now  he  was  saying  to  himself  what  he  wouldn't 
breathe  to  any  other  soul — especially  one  that  brought  the 
townspeople  and  pretty  Mrs.  BuUard  with  them.  Mrs. 
Bullard  was  a  most  winsome  and  attractive  woman,  a 
beauty  in  the  eyes  of  Minneconjous-male ;  one  who  loved 
to  ride,  dance,  tennis,  walk,  talk,  and  none  of  these  could 
her  husband  essay.  He  owned  the  Baltimore  and  the 
Crescent  Queen,  two  of  the  richest  mines  on  the  range. 
He  thought  he  owned  Mrs.  Bullard,  nearly  twenty  years 
his  junior,  a  New- York-made  matron,  who  sang  rejoice- 
fully  and  spoke  three  languages,  only  one  of  which 
Bullard  could  understand.  The  gossips,  town  and  gar- 
rison, had  begun  at  her  in  March,  and  were  buzzing  hard 
in  May,  for  no  sooner  were  the  snows  swept  from  the 
valley  than  she  appeared  in  saddle  and  a  habit  never 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  37 

made  west  of  the  Hudson.  She  had  not  ridden  to  hounds, 
at  least,  the  previous  year.  She  did  not  fancy,  it  now  trans- 
pired, the  local  "  mounts  " ;  but  late  in  April  it  began  to 
be  told  that  a  valuable  horse  had  been  bought  for  the  wife 
of  Silver  Hill's  most  opulent  resident.  Along  in  May, 
horse,  horse  furniture,  and  hostler  all  arrived  in  a  horse- 
car,  chartered  for  the  trip.  She  could  have  had  a  groom 
from  Gotham  as  well  as  the  expensive  saddle  and  bridle, 
had  she  expressed  but  a  wish.  She  wanted  no  groom, 
said  she.  Of  course  not,  said  gossip ;  a  groom  would  be 
much  in  the  way. 

It  was  Langham  who  told  Mr.  Bullard  where  to  order 
the  fine,  London-made  outfit.  It  was  Langham  who  wrote 
for  him  as  to  the  horse.  It  was  Langham  who  rode  away 
to  town  and  saw  to  it  that  Roscoe  was  properly  bitted  and 
girthed,  and  saw  her  safely  in  saddle  for  the  initial  ride. 
After  that  it  was  unnecessary,  as  she  rode,  and  Roscoe 
guided,  so  well.  It  saved  time  to  meet  half  way.  Then, 
when  it  pleased  them  to  join  the  joyous  party  from  the 
fort,  they  were  by  long  odds  the  most  stylish  pair  in  the 
field. 

Now,  it  must  not  be  inferred  that  Langham  was  neg- 
lectful of  garrison  equestriennes.  There  were  only  five 
at  the  fort  who  really  rode,  two  young  matrons  and  three 
maids,  one  of  the  latter  a  girl  of  only  sixteen,  another  of 


38  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

the  latter  well-nigh  thirty.  Langham  invited  each  in  turn 
to  go  with  him,  and  rode  with  Flora  Cullin  more  than 
once.  He  even  took  her  out  on  one  occasion  on  his  second 
horse ;  but — it  may  have  been  the  fault  of  her  hand — at  all 
events  the  brute  began  boring  in  a  way  that  nearly  pulled 
her  over  the  pommel,  and,  much  as  she  longed  to  ride  him 
regularly,  in  the  hopes  of  reforming  him  perhaps,  Lang- 
ham  shook  his  head.  The  one  girl  who  could  ride  Cham- 
pion, bore  or  no  bore — the  girl  who  didn't  care  what  he 
did  or  how  he  ran — was  blithe,  merry  Kitty  Belden,  the 
sixteen-year-old  referred  to,  and  she  was  the  one  creature. 
Fox  excepted,  to  whom  Langham  was  willing  to  trUvSt 
him.  Kitty  could  not  understand  it  that  her  mother,  an 
energetic  woman  of  much  domestic  piety,  and  little  pa- 
tience, soon  discouraged  her  riding  with  Mr.  Langham  or 
using  Mr.  Langham's  horse,  but  this  was  not  until  after 
Mrs.  Bullard  from  town  began  to  join  the  hunt  and  be 
escorted  more  than  half  way  home  by  their  garrison  beau. 
On  such  occasions  as  Langham  rode  with  some  one  of  the 
army  women,  Mrs.  Bullard  would  be  sure  to  lack  no  atten- 
tion at  other  hands,  for  Crabbe,  Palmer,  Shannon,  and 
several  more  were  eager  to  be  at  her  side,  and  smilingly 
she  made  her  cavalier  welcome.  But,  three  riding  days 
out  of  five  Langham  met  and  joined  her  and  saw  her 
safely  almost,  if  not  all  the  way,  home — sometimes  stayed 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  39 

and  dined  with  them  in  town,  always  danced  three  or  four 
times  with  her  when  she  came  to  the  hops,  and  never, 
until  to-night,  was  known  to  miss  a  hop  when  she  was 
said  to  be  coming.  This  night,  as  Briggs  well  knew,  she 
was  already  here,  one  of  the  party  at  the  colonel's. 

Yet  Langham  had  written  that  he  must  be  in  town  to 
meet  the  night  express.  Now,  if  by  any  chance  Crabbe 
should  ask  to  leave  the  post,  or  he,  too,  should  fail  to  ap- 
pear at  the  dance,  Briggs  could  know  just  what  to  expect. 
He  was  fairly  startled,  therefore,  when  Captain  Sparker, 
seeing  the  adjutant  at  his  desk,  came  slowly  in  and  said : 

"  Briggs,  if  Mr.  Crabbe  seeks  permission  to  be  away 
over  night,  I  suggest  that  you  suggest  to  the  colonel  that 
he  would  be  wise  to  say  no."  Briggs  nodded.  Sparker 
sidled  away  "  to  avoid  question,"  he  explained  later,  and 
w^hen  the  dance  fairly  and  finally  began,  lo,  there  was 
Crabbe,  dancing  and  "  gallivanting  "  as  though  nothing 
had  happened.  It  was  not  until  midnight  that  he  was 
suddenly  missed. 

Somewhere  after  midnight — some  minutes  before  the 
sentries  should  begin  calling  the  half  hour — Kitty  Belden, 
like  a  plaintive,  pretty  Cinderella  forbidden  to  see  her 
prince  at  the  ball,  was  sitting  at  the  open  window  of  her 
room,  moping  a  bit  and  wishing  she  was  two  years  older, 
and  listening  to  the  soft  strains  of  cornet  and  viol,  mel- 


40  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

lowed  by  distance,  floating  from  the  brilliantly  lighted 
hoproom  across  the  dim,  starlit  parade.  Captain  Belden 
and  his  wife  had  come  home  half  an  hour  earlier,  and, 
after  brief  admonition  to  Kitty,  were  now  retiring  for 
the  night  The  waltz  music  ceased,  the  silence  of  the 
mountains,  the  far-spreading  prairie,  the  over-arching 
firmament,  settled  upon  the  fort  and  the  broad  surround- 
ing valley.  Somewhere  out  toward  the  southwest  a  faint 
dull  roar  and  rumble,  now  rising,  now  dying,  told  that 
the  night  express,  though  belated,  was  boring  on  into  the 
heart  of  the  Sagamore  Range.  Then  even  this  sound  died 
away,  and  save  a  low  murmur  as  of  voices  of  the  night, 
the  post  seemed  wrapped  in  slumber.  Away  to  the  east 
the  electric  lights  of  Silver  Hill  were  blinking  in  the  dim 
distance,  and  suddenly,  between  the  window  where  she  sat 
and  a  low  gap  in  the  southeastward  hills,  a  ruddy  little 
flash  twinkled  through  the  dusk,  then  another — two  others 
— quickly  followed.  Then,  low,  yet  distinct,  the  sound  of 
three  shots  came  pulsating  through  the  night,  and  almost 
instantly  the  sentry  on  Number  Three,  out  on  that  front, 
woke  the  echoes  with  a  shout  for  the  corporal  of  the 
guard. 

Then  came  the  sound  of  echoing  cries,  then  swift  run- 
ning footfalls,  then  the  dull,  distant,  rhythmical  thud  of 
galloping  hoofs  coming  nearer  and  nearer,  straight  for 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  41 

the  gun-flanked  entrance  beyond  the  post  of  the  guard. 
There  they  swerved  and  quickened  as  though  someone 
had  striven  to  head  off  and  hah  the  runner.  Then  on  they 
came,  bounding;  then  suddenly  died  away  behind  some 
intervening  buildings ;  then  windows  began  to  fly  up  and 
heads  to  appear  and  excited  voices  to  ask  what  was  the 
matter ;  and  then  the  hoofs  were  heard  on  the  soft  ground 
at  the  rear  of  the  quarters,  where  stood  the  little  shed 
stables,  and  then  Champion's  eager  neigh  welcoming  his 
stable  mate,  now  drooping  and  panting  at  the  door.  Kitty 
Belden,  hurrying  through  the  hallway  to  the  rear  window, 
got  there  just  in  time  to  hear  the  sentry's  answer  to  some 
hail  from  up  the  row. 

"  It's  Lieutenant  Langham's  horse,  ma-am,  an'  he's  all 
bloody." 


CHAPTER   III 

THE    ACCUSING    INSIGNIA. 

THE  dance  went  on.  Someone  had  inspired  the 
string  orchestra,  for,  to  the  adjutant's  surprise, 
there  came  no  "  kick  "  at  midnight.  They  had 
been  "  refreshed "  in  the  anteroom,  and  were  playing 
with  unaccustomed  vim  when  the  cap  of  the  officer  of  the 
guard  appeared  for  a  moment  at  a  side  window  of  the 
cardroom.  Potts,  the  post  quartermaster,  was  summoned 
from  a  game  of  dummy,  and  Briggs  from  the  buffet. 
They  vanished  through  a  side  door  with  no  woman  the 
wiser.  Neither  was  valuable  as  a  partner  on  the  floor; 
each  had  his  good  points  at  the  game.  But,  when  it  was 
noted  that  young  Dr.  Griscom  was  gone,  and  the  senior 
surgeon,  Warren,  was  summoned,  then  people  began  to 
whisper  and  ask  questions,  and  some  women  to  pale,  for 
Mr.  Langham  had  not  been  at  the  hop.  Mr.  Crabbe,  who 
had  been,  was  gone  upwards  of  half  an  hour,  and  many 
tongues  had  been  telling  with  more  or  less  elaboration 
of  the  clash  between  the  two  young  officers  in  front  of  the 
mess,  and  of  Crabbe's  vehement  threat  that  followed. 
Such  a  thing,  on  general  principles,  is  seldom  told  at  the ' 

42 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  43 

time  to  the  commanding  and  responsible  officer.  He  is 
apt  to  hear  of  it,  to  his  detriment,  only  later.  At  12.50 
the  colonel,  looking  at  his  watch  and  yawning  behind 
a  broad,  kid-gloved  hand,  was  wondering  how  soon  Mrs. 
Mack  would  be  ready  to  quit  dancing  ("  bouncing  with 
the  boys,"  Mack  called  it),  and  go  home,  when  he  noted 
that  the  music  had  ceased  again,  that  sounds  of  chat  and 
laughter  were  stilled,  that  people  were  huddling  in  groups 
and  murmuring  in  low  tones,  ominously,  and  with  fear- 
some glances,  and  then  came  the  only  woman  in  the  gar- 
rison that  wasn't  afraid  of  him — his  wife — and  her  florid 
face  was  filled  with  portent.  "  Have  you  heard,  Mack?  " 
she  hoarsely  whispered.  "  They're  bringing  in  Lang- 
ham,  shot.  Now  hware's  Crabbe?  "  In  moments  of  ex- 
citement Mrs.  Mack  paid  unwilling  tribute  to  her  almost 
forgotten  nationality,  and  Mack,  sturdy  soldier  that  he 
was,  if  easy-going,  never  failed  to  realize  in  this  symptom 
the  signal  to  be  up  and  doing.  It  roused  him  as  the  trum- 
pet rouses  the  war-horse.  He  was  on  his  feet  on  the 
instant,  and  out  of  the  door  forthwith,  and  with  him  van- 
ished the  last  lingering  doubt  as  to  the  truth  of  the  flitting 
rumor. 

At  this  moment  the  sentries  were  calling  the  hour  of 
one.  The  carriages  of  the  Bullards  and  Stringhams,  rival 
social  forces  in  town,  and  the  two  livery  carry-alls  that 


44  COMRADES  IN   ARMS 

had  come  laden  with  Silver  Hill  society  not  yet  burdened 
with  the  care  of  their  own  equipage,  were  waiting  on  the 
road  in  front  of  the  assembly  room.  Prominent  among 
those  who  came  hastening  forth  in  quest  of  accurate  news 
was  Bullard  himself,  a  burly  man,  and  forceful.  With 
him  were  three  or  four  officers  and  as  many  civilians. 
The  women,  as  a  rule,  remained  within  the  room,  mur- 
muring together  in  knots  of  three  or  four.  Some  few 
were  tremulous.  All  were  glancing  furtively,  eagerly 
about  in  search  of  still  another,  and  at  the  moment,  at  the 
flag-draped  archway  to  the  ladies'  dressing  room,  she 
suddenly,  smilingly  appeared,  looked  quickly  back  at  the 
deft-handed  maid  who  had  been  repairing  a  rent  in  her 
flimsy  skirt,  then  her  bright  eyes  sought  the  ballroom  in 
search  of  her  escort,  who  had  unaccountably  disappeared. 
Then  the  bright  color,  the  winsome  smile,  began  to  fade 
as  she  noted  that  no  women  were  seated,  but  all  were  clus- 
tering in  groups,  white-faced,  whispering;  that  most  men 
had  gone.  Then  she  came  swiftly  forward,  the  eyes  of 
all  the  room  upon  her,  and  hailed  the  nearest  circle  with : 
"  Something  has  certainly  happened.    Tell  me  what  it  is." 

As  luck  would  have  it,  Mrs.  Mack,  the  ever  resolute, 
was  of  this  group  and  first  to  answer. 

"  It's  bad  news,  Mrs.  Bullard.  I  may  as  well  tell  you— 
Mr.  Langham's  shot  and  they're  bringing  him  home." 


COMRADES   IxN   ARMS  45 

Whosoever  expected  to  see  Mrs.  Bullard  faint  or  col- 
lapse was  destined  to  grieve.  Mrs.  Bullard  actually 
blazed  with  sudden  energy. 

"  Shot !  When  ?  Where  ?  "  she  demanded ;  and  then, 
as  they  seemed  dazed  and  bewildered,  away  she  sped  to 
the  open  doorway,  passing  unnoticed  other  groups  that 
scanned  her  narrowly,  and  then  she  fairly  flung  herself 
upon  her  husband's  arm. 

"  You're  here !  "  they  heard  her  say.  "  Where  is — 
where  did — it  happen  ?  " 

"  Out  on  the  flats,  they  say,  near  the  ford,"  was  the 
reluctant  answer.     "  They've  gone  for  a  stretcher." 

"  Gone  for  a  stretcher!  And  you  here  with  a  car- 
riage !  "  Then  down  the  steps  she  flew,  and  over  the  walk. 
"  Mr.  Shannon !  "  she  called,  to  the  young  cavalryman 
just  hurrying  by,  "  if  you  know  where  to  find  him,  tell  my 
coachman  and  come." 

"  My  coachman  I  "  "  My  ladyship's  orders  !  "  "  My 
lord  passed  by  as  of  no  account !  "  "  Lieutenant  Shan- 
non, — th  Cavalry,  U.  S.  A.,  imperiously  bidden  to  drop 
what  he  was  about  and  go  with  my  lady !  "  Fancy  the 
verbal  comments  of  the  women  that  watched  and  waited 
as  the  carriage  went  spinning  away  to  the  prairie  gate, 
my  lady  and  Shannon  silent  within,  the  stretchermen 
speedily  left  behind.     As  for  Bullard,  the  burly  and  force- 


4G  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

ful,  he  stood  a  moment  with  gloom  stamped  upon  his 
face  and  a  curse  stifled  on  his  lips,  then  made  his  way  to 
the  cardroom,  now  deserted  of  all  save  attendants,  and 
stopped  at  the  sideboard. 

A  mile  away  a  shadowy  little  group  had  gathered  about 
a  prostrate  man.  A  bleeding  and  senseless  head  was  sup- 
ported on  the  young  surgeon's  knee.  Briggs  and  the 
quartermaster  were  bending  anxiously  over  them.  Some 
men  of  the  guard,  with  lanterns,  were  searching  the  neigh- 
borhood where  the  bridle-path  made  a  short  cut  over  the 
shallows  of  the  creek.  Other  shadowy  forms,  singly  or 
by  twos  or  threes,  were  hastening  over  from  the  fort. 
Some  one  of  these  had  shouted,  "  Hold  up,"  as  the  BuUard 
carriage  whirled  swiftly  by,  but  the  driver  never  held 
until  it  reached  the  bank  above  the  ford.  Then  Mrs.  Bul- 
lard  sprang  out,  unassisted,  never  waiting  for  slow-witted 
Shannon,  and  in  a  second  she,  too,  w^as  bending  over  them, 
when  young  Dr.  Griscom  looked  up  in  her  white  but  beau- 
tiful face.     She  needed  to  ask  no  question. 

"  Serious,"  he  said,  "  and  how  serious  we  cannot  tv^ll — 
here." 

"  Then  take  my  carriage  and  get  him — Home.  The 
stretcher  is  nowhere  yet  in  sight." 

They  lifted  the  senseless  form,  and  it  was  a  difficult 
thing.     The  doctor  clambered  in,  and  the  men  hoisted. 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  4? 

Langham  was  placed  with  his  head  on  the  doctor's 
shoulder  and  his  legs  doubled  up  on  the  opposite  seat. 
"  Jump  in,"  said  she  to  Briggs,  quick,  commanding,  and 
he,  long  schooled  to  silent  tolerance  of  woman's  ways, 
obeyed  without  question.  "  Help  the  doctor  hold  him," 
she  added.  ''  Now,  drive  carefully,  James.  Dr.  Griscom 
will  direct  you," 

"  But  you,  Mrs.  Bullard  ?  We  can  make  room  for 
you,"  began  Briggs. 

"  Make  room  for  nobody !  "  said  this  Zenobia  of  the 
frontier.  "  I'm  coming  afoot.  Drive  on,  James  !  "  And 
the  carriage  turned  and  rolled  away.  The  colonel  and 
chaplain,  more  men  of  the  guard,  more  officers  on  the 
run,  the  stretchermen  on  the  jog-trot,  all  these  it  passed 
in  its  swift  whirl  to  the  post,  leaving  nearly  a  dozen  men 
hunting  for  sign,  searching  the  banks  of  the  stream  and 
the  length  of  the  road. 

"  Let  the  doctors  look  after  Langham,"  said  Mack. 
*'  What  I  want  is  the  man  who  did  this." 

And  that  Langham  was  "  done  "  was  the  first  story  sent 
in  circulation  that  woeful  night.  It  was  much  after  one 
when  they  got  him  to  bed  and  could  examine  his  injuries. 
By  that  time  he  had  for  a  moment  regained  consciousness, 
perhaps  through  pain,  but,  no  more  than  the  dead  could 
he  tell  who  or  what  had  felled  him.    xA-gain  he  had  lapsed 


48  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

into  almost  deathlike  swoon,  and  both  doctors  were  plainly 
anxious.  By  half  an  hour  later  while  these  skilled  prac- 
titioners and  their  two  attendants  worked  over  the  bruised 
and  senseless  form,  the  colonel  with  some  of  his  older  offi- 
cers had  been  taking  counsel  and  evidence  in  the  front 
room,  the  "  parlor,"  sacred  to  the  four  o'clock  teas  in  the 
early  spring,  now  invaded  by  solemn-faced  men  of  various 
grades. 

Corporal  Stone  of  the  second  relief,  summoned  before 
them,  had  stated  that  the  first  he  knew  of  trouble  was  the 
cry  of  Number  Three.  There  was  talking  at  the  guard- 
house, and  he  had  heard  no  shot.  He  ran  because  he  knew 
it  was  trouble.  Number  Three  said  there  was  shooting 
out  at  the  fords,  and  they  could  hear  the  galloping  hoofs  of 
a  horse  coming  home.  Stone  took  two  men  who  had  run 
after  him,  and  double-timed  out  over  the  prairie,  and 
there  at  the  first  ford  they  found  Lieutenant  Langham 
lying  on  his  face,  stunned  and  bleeding.  Stone  sent  a 
man  back  on  the  run  for  the  doctor  and  to  notify  the  offi- 
cers. More  men  came,  and  they  dashed  water  in  the 
Lieutenant's  face  and  tried  to  stanch  the  bleeding,  and 
others  hunted  for  tracks  when  the  lanterns  came,  but 
Stone  knew  nothing  more. 

Ramsdell,  sergeant  of  the  guard,  stated  that  the  horse 
left  blood  tracks  as  he  ran  through  the  gateway.    Num- 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  49 

ber  Seven  and  other  men  who  examined  him  back  of 
Lieutenant  Langham's  quarters,  said  a  bullet  had  gone 
across  the  breast;  that  he  was  foaming,  panting,  and 
bleeding.  The  sentry  on  Number  Three  told  of  hearing 
the  first  shot,  turning  instantly  and  looking  southeast- 
ward; then  seeing  two  flashes  and  hearing  two  other 
shots  before  calling  the  corporal.  Fox  was  summoned 
and  couldn't  be  found.  Fox  had  been  conspicuous  early 
in  the  evening.  Fox  had  saddled  and  bridled  Mr.  Lang- 
ham's  pet  horse,  and  brought  him  round  somewhere 
about  945.  It  was  after  ten  when  the  lieutenant  rode 
away.  Fox  and  the  lieutenant  had  some  words,  said 
Captain  Curran,  who  lived  next  door.  The  lieutenant 
had  rebuked  Fox  sharply  and  sternly,  and  Fox  had 
replied  in  a  tone  Captain  Curran  had  never  before  heard 
him  use.  He  couldn't  help  thinking  Fox  might  have  been 
drinking.  On  this  point  Mr.  Briggs  was  positive:  Fox 
had  been  drinking.  It  was  noticeable  to  him  at  the  adju- 
tant's office  at  eight  o'clock — was  probably  more  so  to 
Langham  at  ten.  Colonel  Mack  gave  orders  that  sys- 
tematic search  be  made  for  Fox  all  over  the  post,  and 
every  "  shack  "  was  ordered  open  to  expedite  the  matter. 
Most  of  the  officers,  whether  bidden  or  not,  had  come 
to  Langham's  to  see  what  they  could  do,  or  to  answer 
questions  if  need  be,  but  Mr.  Crabbe  was  not  one  of  these. 


50  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

Nor  did  Mack  send  for  him.  By  this  time,  of  course,  the 
story  of  the  afternoon's  ugly  clash  at  the  mess  had  been 
told  to  the  post  commander,  and  the  situation,  bad  enough 
at  the  start,  became  suddenly  worse.  Mrs.  Bullard,  walk- 
ing back  to  the  post  with  young  Shannon,  had  gone  to  the 
colonel's  for  certain  of  her  wraps,  she  said,  and  Shannon 
was  sent  to  find  her  husband  with  the  message  that  she 
was  now  ready  to  go  home.  Bullard  was  a  long  time 
coming.  He  explained  that  it  was  necessary  to  dry  and 
cleanse  the  deep  blood  stains  on  the  back  and  seat  of  the 
carriage.  He,  too,  it  seems,  had  driven  out  to  the  scene 
of  the  affray,  supposing,  he  said,  his  wife  to  be  still  there. 
He  went  by  the  road  and  she  came  by  the  stream  bank,  a 
favorite  walk.  They  did  not  see  the  colonel  to  say  good- 
night. They  left  about  two  o'clock,  without  that  cere- 
mony, but  not  without  reining  up  in  front  of  Langham's 
to  inquire  for  the  latest  tidings  of  the  wounded  man. 
Briggs,  just  back  from  the  quarters  of  Lieutenant  Crabbe, 
came  to  the  carriage  door  and  answered  Mrs.  Bullard, 
for,  as  usual,  that  spirited  woman  did  the  talking  for 
both.  Mr.  Langham  was  in  very  serious  shape,  was  all 
he  could  say,  and  both  doctors  agreed  that  the  worst 
might  follow  if  he  did  not  pull  up  by  morning.  Mrs. 
Bullard  was  full  of  deep  sympathy,  interest,  anxiety,  and 
then — she  asked  a  curious  question: 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  51 

"  How  and  where  is  Mr.  Crabbe  ?  " 

"  At  his  quarters,"  said  Briggs  stoutly,  "  and  he  is  very 
much  shocked  and  distressed."  Briggs  did  not  especially 
like  Crabbe,  but  he  wouldn't  have  any  woman  supposing 
that  even  a  man  he  didn't  like  could  so  far  forget  his 
station  as  an  officer  and  gentleman  as  to  be  concerned  in 
so  brutal,  so  mad,  an  assault  as  this.  Briggs  said  good- 
night, and  slammed  the  carriage  door  resentfully.  He 
went  in  and  told  his  colonel  Mr.  Crabbe  was  at  his  quar- 
ters awaiting  his,  Colonel  Mack's,  wishes,  and  would  not 
stir  from  them  until  sent  for,  a  species  of  self-imposed 
arrest  entirely  unnecessary,  and  this,  too,  at  a  time  when 
Mr.  Crabbe  would  gladly  have  felt  himself  at  liberty  to 
go  and  make  search  on  his  own  account.  He  had  lost 
the  beautiful  insignia  worn  by  him  as  a  Companion  by 
Inheritance  in  the  Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion. 
It  was  on  the  left  breast  of  his  full  dress  uniform,  to- 
gether with  his  sharp-shooter's  badge  and  the  cross  of 
the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  when  he  was 
dancing  with  Mrs.  Stringham,  for  Mrs.  Stringham  had 
remarked  them  and  asked  what  they  all  meant  and  why 
he  didn't  wear  them  every  day. 

They  were  all  in  place  when  he  stopped  at  the  side- 
board in  the  cardroom  a  little  later.  Mr.  BuUard  and 
others  from  town  spoke  of  them  while  having  a  glass  of 


52  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

punch  together.  About  twelve  he  had  gone  over  to  his 
own  quarters,  he  said,  to  change  a  pair  of  patent  leather 
dancing  boots  for  something  older  and  more  comfortable, 
as  the  new  ones  had  drawn  his  feet  and  been  extremely 
tight  and  painful.  While  there  he  saw  that  his  collar 
was  wilted,  as  well  as  his  shirt,  and  he  concluded  to  make 
a  complete  change.  It  took  some  time.  He  even  put  his 
feet  in  a  tub  of  cold  water.  It  must  have  been  12.50,  or 
later,  he  said,  when,  on  donning  again  his  uniform,  he 
missed  his  Loyal  Legion  insignia.  He  was  searching  for 
that  about  his  own  quarters  when  Captain  Sparker  came 
hurrying  in  and  told  him  the  shocking  news.  This  was 
toward  one. 

All  this  detail  had  Crabbe  hurriedly  confided  to  Briggs 
during  the  latter's  brief  visit  in  search  of  him,  and  Briggs 
concluded  it  was  of  such  importance  that  he  took  a  sheet 
of  paper  and  jotted  it  down,  reading  it  over  to  Crabbe 
before  returning  to  the  impromptu  council.  Briggs 
gave  no  more  thought  to  the  Loyal  Legion  insignia. 
What  was  the  loss  of  a  bauble  in  face  of  a  murder 
mystery  ? 

He  read  off  his  notes  to  the  colonel  and  the  assembled 
officers,  and  Major  Baker,  of  the  cavalry,  the  second  in 
command,  sat  and  looked  straight  at  him  every  moment 
as  he  read. 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  53 

"  You've  got  it  exact,  have  you?  "  he  asked  of  Briggs, 
as  the  adjutant  finished. 

"  Exact  as  I  could,  from  a  hurried  narrative,"  answered 
Briggs.  "  And  Crabbe  acquiesced  in  every  word  wlien  I 
read  it  aloud  to  him." 

The  major  sat  one  moment  in  silence,  then  turned  on 
Captain  Sparker :  "  How  was  Crabbe  dressed  and  what 
was  he  doing  when  you  entered  ?  "  said  he,  and  the  effect 
was  marked  and  instant. 

"  Why — in  his  shirt  sleeves,  and  he  seemed  to  be — 
hunting  round.     He  had  his  uniform  coat  on  his  arm." 

"  Room  looked  as  though  he'd  been  washing  and 
changing  his  shirt  and — other  things  ?  "  queried  Baker. 

"  Why,  yes ;  he  said  so.  There  was  some  disorder. 
Things  flung  about.  Tub  and  basin  by  the  washstand, 
but  nothing  in  the  least  unusual."  And  Sparker's  face  was 
clouding,  his  eyes  were  filling  with  a  new  light  and 
anxiety. 

"  That's  all,  then,"  replied  the  major,  a  grim  look  on 
his  weather-beaten  face.  "  I'd  like.  Colonel  Mack,  to  have 
Mr.  Crabbe  come  here  and  tell  us  a  little  more,  if  you'll 
kindly  send  for  him." 

With  that  he  arose  and  sauntered  into  the  hall  and 
thence  tip-toed  to  the  room  where  Langham  lay  feebly 
moaning  at  intervals.     Warren's  hand  was  at  the  patient's 


54  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

wrist,  his  sensitive  fingers  on  the  pulse,  and  his  anxious 
eyes  sought  those  of  Major  Baker  with  a  shade  of  dis- 
pleasure.    He  disliked  the  intrusion. 

"Any  change?"  whispered  Baker.  Warren  slowly 
shook  his  head. 

"  Can  you  say  that  he  will  live  till  morning?  "  War- 
ren pondered  a  bit,  then,  still  more  slowly,  shook  his 
head  again.  The  major  returned,  angering.  The  veter- 
inarian was  giving  his  theory  as  to  the  injuries  inflicted 
on  the  beautiful  bay,  whose  bleeding  was  finally  stanched, 
but  who  lay  in  his  box  stall  back  of  Langham's,  suffering 
from  shock  and  weakness,  with  Champion  wonderingly 
nosing  the  intercepting  grating.  They  had  had  to  break 
in  the  stable  to  reach  the  stall.  Fox  was  gone  with  the 
keys. 

And  then  came  Briggs  again,  and  Crabbe,  the  latter 
very  pale  and  very  nervous,  as  all  could  see.  No  time 
was  lost  in  preliminaries.  ''  Have  I  your  permission, 
colonel?"  asked  the  major,  and  wonderingly  the  colonel 
said  aye. 

*'*  The  adjutant  has  read  your  statement,  Mr.  Crabbe. 
You  wish  us  to  believe  that  you  have  not  been  outside 
the  post  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  sir,"  was  the  prompt  reply,  yet  the  lips 
and  fingers  both  were  twitching. 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  55 

"  And  that  you  had  nothing  whatsoever  to  do  with  this 
attack  on  Lieutenant  Langham?  "  And  the  major's  eye- 
lids were  screwing  down  to  a  narrow  slit.  His  tone  was 
menacing. 

"  Not  a  thing,  sir,"  and  still,  though  Crabbe  spoke 
promptly,  confidently,  he  winced  before  the  stern,  level 
gaze. 

''You  lost  your  Loyal  Legion  badge  after  II.30,  I 
think  you  said." 

"  I  did,"  answered  Crabbe.  Now  all  men's  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  him,  and  there  seemed  to  be  a  catching,  a 
holding  of  breath  throughout  the  room.  Deliberately  the 
major  drew  forth  a  glistening  cross  of  gold  and  enamel 
with  a  tri-colored  bit  of  ribbon,  from  beneath  the  breast 
of  his  coat. 

"  This  is  numbered  seven  thousand  and  blank — your 
number,  I  think,"  said  he,  in  a  voice  that  shook  in  spite 
of  himself,  "  and  I  found  it  in  the  sand  at  the  ford,  not 
ten  feet  from  where  Mr.  Langham  lay." 


CHAPTER  IV 


A  CHAMPION    MISSIKG. 


IN  close  arrest  Lieutenant  Crabbe  had  gone  to  his 
quarters.  Nay,  more.  So  serious  were  Langham's 
injuries — so  doubtful  the  result — that,  for  the  first 
time  in  the  history  of  Fort  Minneconjou,  armed  sentries 
stood  at  the  door  of  an  officer's  room.  The  colonel's  im- 
promptu council  had  dissolved.  Belden  and  Sparker, 
brother  captains  of  the  2 — th,  trudged  home  together  in 
awed  silence  until  they  reached  the  latter's  gate.  Belden 
was  a  man  much  esteemed  for  his  modesty  and  worth. 
Sparker  was  known  rather  for  his  money — or  that  of  his 
indulgent  mate.  Beyond  comradeship  in  the  service  there 
was  little  in  common  between  the  two  men.  Belden,  a 
strict  disciplinarian  in  his  own  household,  had  no  words 
to  waste  on  the  management  of  others' — the  most  per- 
sistent critics  in  such  affairs  being  the  men  or  women 
negligent  or  ignorant  as  to  their  own.  Sparker  was  a 
sower  of  dragon's  teeth,  a  man  to  whom  was  ever  traced 
much  of  the  little  meannesses  afloat,  like  malignant 
microbes,  in  the  social  atmosphere  at  the  fort.  With  no 
children  of  his  own,  Sparker  was  full  of  comment  on 

56 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  57 

parental  weaknesses  as  exhibited  about  him.  With  no 
erudition  beyond  that  picked  up  in  a  yawning  contem- 
plation of  newspaper  headlines,  he  was  prone  to  sneer  at 
those  who  studied  deeper.  With  no  temporal  anxieties 
to  teach  him  sympathy  and  charity,  he  overflowed  with 
captious  criticism  of  those  who  fell  behind.  And,  having 
started  nine-tenths  of  such  garrison  gossip  as  was  of 
masculine  origin,  he  was  now  virtuously  indignant  at  the 
cavalry  major  who  had  "  brought  such  disgrace  upon 
the  name  of  the  army."  "  Don't  you  think,"  he  began 
at  Belden,  as  they  reached  the  gallery,  "  he  ought  to  have 
gone  privately  to  Crabbe  and  told  him  what  he'd  found, 
and  let — let  him " 

"  Resign  ?  "  said  Belden  quietly,  "  with  a  possible  mur- 
der to  be  accounted  for  ?  " 

"  Well,  perhaps  not — that,"  stammered  the  captain. 
"  But  don't  you  think  he  took  the  worst  way  of  adver- 
tising the  whole  business  ?  " 

Sparker  was  an  adept  in  that  sort  of  dragging  forth  of 
personal  opinion  by  the  roots,  as  it  were,  that  enabJe.s  a 
man  to  triumphantly  quote  So-and-So  and  So-and-So  as 
backing  his  views,  when,  in  point  of  fact,  the  men  re- 
ferred to  seldom,  if  ever,  were  of  his  way  of  thinking. 
Belden  knew  his  neighbor  of  old,  and  could  not  be 
trapped. 


58  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

"  The  business  is  bound  to  be  advertised  far  and  wide," 
said  he.     "  The  major  couldn't  prevent  it." 

"  Awe — well,  but  now,  Belden,  don't  you  think " 

"  I  think,"  said  Belden  very  calmly,  "  that  it  is  high 
time  we  got  to  bed,  and  tried  not  to  think,  if  we're  to 
sleep  at  all  before  to-morrow's  inspection." 

"  You  don't  suppose  '  Old  Hardtack '  will  have  us  out 
after — after  what  happened  to-night  ?  "  blustered  Sparker 
impulsively. 

"  Our  orders  are  to  be  In  readiness  for  anything,"  was 
the  answer.  "  Good-night,  Sparker,"  and  Belden  broke 
away,  glanced  up  at  a  pallid  little  face  that  peeped  be- 
tween the  white  dimity  curtains  of  a  dormer  window 
above  his  soldier  parlor,  and,  heavy-hearted,  stole  back 
to  bed.  Matters  at  Minneconjou,  though  he  would  not 
prate  of  them,  were  giving  him  sad  cause  for  worry,  and 
that  dearly  loved  face  of  his  little  girl  was  what  troubled 
him  most.  With  all  his  heart  he  was  beginning  to  wish 
that  Kitty  had  not  won  such  fame  as  a  rider,  and  that 
"  Pat  "  Langham,  with  his  handsome  face  and  handsome 
horses,  had  never  come  to  the  regiment.  He  knew  she 
would  be  waiting  for  him  at  the  head  of  the  stairs,  and 
that  she  was  waiting  to  ask  for  news  of  him,  and  there 
she  was  at  the  landing,  her  glossy,  rippling  hair  "  falling 
down  to  her  waist,"  her  big,  beautiful  eyes  pathetic  with 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  59 

inquiry  and  supplication,  her  slender  form  shivering  a 
bit  in  its  dainty  night  robe,  but  shivering  not  from  cold. 
Belden's  big  heart  was  moved  at  the  sight,  though  his  head 
would  have  counseled  reproof.  His  arm  stole  about  her, 
as  he  gently  drew  her  to  her  own  door.  ''  No  worse, 
at  least,  little  woman,"  he  said,  "  and  sleeping  quietly 
when  I  came  away.  So  be  good,  and  go  and  do  like- 
wise." 

But  she  clung  to  his  arm.     She  would  know. 

"  Is  it — serious — dangerous  ?  "  she  pleaded. 

"  Serious,  yes.  Dangerous,  I  hardly  know.  I  think 
the  doctors  hardly  know.     But  they  are  hopeful." 

Again  she  shivered.  "  But,  Daddy  dear,  do  they  say — 
do  they  know — who  did  it?  " 

"  Well,  no.  Why,  where's  mother  ?  "  he  asked,  noting 
that  the  marital  chamber  was  deserted. 

"  She  went  in  to  Airs.  Sparker's  for  news.  She  said 
she  was  too  excited  to  sleep.     She's  coming  now." 

Coming  the  good  lady  certainly  was,  coming  with  por- 
tentous face,  having  learned  that  her  liege  had  returned, 
having  waited  only  long  enough  to  hear  the  startling 
tidings  of  Crabbe's  arrest  and  how  it  was  brought  about. 
She  was  into  the  open  hallway  and  up  the  stairs  before 
the  captain  could  persuade  Kitty  to  step  within  her  own 
threshold.     She  was  upon  him  with  the  natural  and  im- 


60  (COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

pulsive  exclamation :  "  Well,  isn't  that  just  too  horrible 
for  anything? — an  officer — becoming  a  vile  assassin!'' 

''  Hush,  Kate,"  said  Belden,  striving  to  lure  her  away 
from  the  subject  and  into  her  room.  "  It  is — purely  cir- 
cumstantial as  yet." 

"  Purely  circumstantial,  when  his  Loyal  Legion  badge 
is  found  right  there  on  the  spot!  Kitty,  I  told  you  to 
go  to  bed  two  hours  ago." 

"  Whose  Loyal  Legion  Badge?  Where  was  it?  "  de- 
manded the  girl,  springing  back,  barefooted,  into  the 
hallway.  Mrs.  Belden  would  have  denied  her  further 
information  and  had  her  lying  awake  in  suspense  and 
terror  until  dawn,  and  then,  when  too  late  to  mend  mat- 
ters, telling  her  as  a  last  resort.  It  was  Belden  who 
spoke,  his  theory  being  that  it  was  always  best  to  tell  the 
truth  and  end  all  mystery. 

"  Mr.  Crabbe's  Loyal  Legion  badge,  my  girlie,"  said 
he,  gently  drawing  her  back  to  the  little  room.  "  It  was 
picked  up  at  the  ford,  close  to  the  spot.  There  had  been 
angry  words  between  them,  and — listen !  " 

Somebody  was  knocking  at  the  door,  knocking  vehe- 
mently. Had  there  not  been  enough  excitement  for  one 
night?  Belden  hurried  down,  and  there  stood  the  adju- 
tant. "  You're  dressed — already.  Come  right  over  as 
you  are.     The  colonel  wants  to  see  you  at  once,"  were 


COMRADES  IK  ARMS  61 

his  words,  as  he  led  on  toward  the  little  gate.  "  You'll 
find  the  major  there  and — '  Old  Hardtack's '  taking  a 
hand  now." 

It  was  then  after  two — long  after.  The  barracks  of 
the  men,  the  assembly  hall,  the  storehouse,  and  offices 
were  all  wrapped  in  darkness.  Lights  burned  dimly  at 
the  guard-room  and  at  many  of  the  officers'  quarters, 
while  at  the  colonel's  the  ground  floor  was  still  brightly 
illuminated.  Two  cavalry  horses  with  heaving  flanks 
stood  in  front  of  the  gate,  held  by  a  single  trooper.  His 
comrade  was  at  the  hall  doorway,  chatting  in  low  tone 
with  the  orderly  of  the  commanding  officer.  "  We  made 
it  in  fifty  minutes — there'n  back,"  Belden  heard  him  say, 
as  he  passed  quickly  in.  There  in  the  flag-draped  army 
parlor  stood  the  gray-haired  inspector  general,  his  lined 
face  full  of  concern.  There  under  the  chandelier,  tramp- 
ing nervously  up  and  down,  fretful  and  ill  at  ease,  was 
the  colonel.  There  on  the  sofa,  his  hands  thrust  deep 
in  his  trouser's  pockets,  his  legs  outsprawled,  was  Major 
Baker,  dubious,  perhaps,  and  perturbed  in  spirit,  as 
shown  by  his  most  unsoldierly  pose,  yet  truculent  and 
holding  to  his  point.  There  was  a  fourth  figure  in  the 
room,  that  of  a  man  in  cool  garments,  and  heated  argu- 
ment, with  a  fifth — the  sheriff  of  Sagamore  County. 

In  the  first  civilian  Belden  recognized   Mr.   Murray, 


62  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

landlord  of  the  Argenta,  one  of  the  local  hostelries  of 
the  better  class,  the  one  most  affected  by  post  people  when 
they  lunched  or  shopped  in  town.  The  moment  Belden 
entered  the  room  Colonel  Mack  abruptly  stopped  his 
nervous  walk  and  strove  to  stop  the  debate,  which,  having 
become  pointed  and  acrimonious,  bade  fair  to  reach  listen- 
ing ears  on  the  landing  above.  Both  Boniface  and  sheriff 
had  long  been  at  odds,  rival  candidates  for  office  and 
claimants  for  a  hand,  the  sheriff  winning  both  events  to 
the  profuse  and  profane  disgust  of  the  rival.  The  land- 
lord had  come  as  a  volunteer  to  launch  valuable  informa- 
tion. The  sheriff  had  come  as  a  drafted  man,  straight 
from  his  slumbers  to  controversy,  for  what  Boniface  had 
said  the  sheriff  scouted,  and  no  one  present  could  say 
which  man  was  right. 

"  I  tell  you,"  clamored  the  former,  "  I  saw  him  talking 
excitedly,  you  could  almost  say  imploringly,  with  this 
stranger  at  the  train.  I  always  meet  the  express,  even 
when  it  is  late  as  it  was  to-night.  They  walked  up  and 
down  together  as  much  as  five  minutes.  Then  this  third 
man  joined  them,  and  I  knew  him  the  moment  I  set  eyes 
on  him.  It's  my  business  to  know  every  face  I've  ever 
seen  before.  It  was  Pyne,  the  young  Britisher  that  killed 
the  soldier  at  Cheyenne  the  winter  of  '89." 

"  That   man  hasn't  been   seen  or  heard  of  in  these 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  63 

parts  for  six  years/'  burst  In  the  sheriff.  **  He  went  back 
to  England  after  his  pardon*  that  was  one  of  the  con- 
ditions  " 

"  Hush,  gentlemen  !  "  pleaded  the  colonel.  "  Not  so 
loud.  Let  me  ask  a  question,  as  I  wish  Captain  Belden 
to  hear.  Captain,  you  were  at  Cheyenne  at  that  time,  as 
I  remember,  and  you  saw  this  young  man  Pyne  ?  " 

"  I  was  in  command  of  a  detachment  of  recruits  going 
through,"  answered  Belden  gravely.  "  I  saw  him  after 
his  arrest — after  the  affray,  and  again  during  the  trial, 
but  that  was  all." 

"  I  was  running  the  Eureka  restaurant  at  Cheyenne  at 
that  time,"  again  broke  in  the  landlord.  "  He  stopped  at 
my  place.  I  saw  him  a  dozen  times,  and  I  can't  be  mis- 
taken. He  was  the  man  that  rode  away  with  Lieutenant 
Langham  to-night." 

"  Did  you  see  him  ride  away  ?  "  demanded  the  sheriff. 

"  I  didn't  see  him  ride  away.  I  saw  him  walk  away 
with  Langham  toward  the  stable,  and  the  stable  hands 
will  tell  you  they  rode  away  together,  heading  for  the 
fort,  and  it  wasn't  an  hour  after  that  the  cry  went  up  at 
the  bar  that  Lieutenant  Langham  had  been  shot  out  there 
at  the  fords,  and  that's  what  brought  me  here.  Find  that 
man  Pyne/' 

"  And  I'll  bet  that  man  Pyne  isn't  anywhere  in  these 


64  COMRADES   IN    ARMS 

parts,  and  can't  be,"  declared  the  sheriff.  "  So  there 
you  are." 

The  colonel  turned  impatiently  away.  "  You  see  how 
it  is,  Belden,"  he  began.  "  Our  friend  of  the  Argenta  de- 
clares somebody  rode  away  from  town  with  Langham. 
He  says  two  or  three  men  can  swear  to  that,  lie  says 
the  man  was  Pyne,  who  shot  a  soldier  in  your  detach- 
ment at  Cheyenne  in  '89.  There  are  so  many  hoofprints 
all  along  the  banks  about  the  fords  that  I  have  had  to 
send  men  further  in  toward  town,  searching  the  trail  with 
lanterns.  Somewhere  it  may  be  found  that  two  horses 
came  loping  out  to-night  together.  There's  someone 
coming  now !  " 

It  was  Potts,  regimental  quartermaster,  and  Potts  came 
swiftly,  silently  in  and  stopped  straight  in  front  of  his 
colonel. 

"  It's  so,  sir.  Half  a  mile  east  of  the  fords  we  found 
two  places  on  the  trail  where  the  ground  was  soft  and 
muddy.     Two  horses  came  this  way,  probably  together." 

The  announcement  was  heard  in  almost  oppressive 
silence.  It  meant  far  more  than  was  apparent  at  first 
to  all  those  present.  Only  the  officers  knew  that,  charged 
with  the  crime.  Lieutenant  Crabbe  was  now  in  close 
arrest.  Only  they  could  realize  what  intensity  of  relief 
it   would   bring   to   Minneconjou    could    that   crime   be 


COMRADES   IN;  ARMS  65 

fastened  on  a  rank  outsider  and  the  stain  be  swept  from 
the  uniform. 

Murray's  story,  as  hastily  told  long  after  one,  was  in- 
deed of  almost  startling  interest.  Two  of  the  colonel's 
guests,  he  said,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chauncey,  driving  home 
in  their  buggy  at  half  past  twelve,  had  stopped  in  front 
of  the  Argenta  and  declared  that  they  were  overtaken 
half  way  to  Silver  Hill  by  a  horseman  who  galloped 
wildly  on  toward  town,  and  cried  to  them  that  Lieutenant 
Langham  had  been  shot  by  road  agents.  Nobody  else 
as  yet,  however,  seemed  to  have  seen  this  fleeing  horse- 
man ;  but  Murray,  the  moment  he  heard  the  news,  "  piled 
into  the  bus,"  as  he  expressed  it,  and  told  his  man  to 
drive  like  sin  to  the  fords.  He  felt  so  sure  he  knew 
the  shooter,  and  that  the  shooter  could  be  caught  if 
promptly  traced  and  followed,  that,  when  four  miles  out, 
he  came  suddenly  on  two  troopers  scouting  the  prairie,  he 
did  not  hesitate  to  bid  them  gallop  over  to  Sheriff  Blos- 
som's ranch  on  the  North  Fork,  and  west  of  Silver  Hill. 
They  were  to  "  rout  out "  that  official  and  get  him  to 
the  colonel's  at  once.  He  was  well  on  his  way  thither 
before  the  conference  at  Langham's  broke  up  for  the 
night. 

It  was  Murray's  profound  conviction  that  the  wild 
horseman  who  had  startled  the  Chaunceys  was  Pyne  him- 


66  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

self,  a  man  he  had  known  when,  young,  friendless,  and 
without  means,  he  had  drifted  into  the  Eureka  at  Chey- 
enne, and  there  dwelt  some  days,  as  it  turned  out,  at  Mur- 
ray's expense.  The  lad  *'  hocussed  "  him,  he  said,  with 
stories  of  wealthy  kindred  in  England,  and  by  the  casual 
display  of  a  beautiful  watch.  He  was  waiting  for  his 
luggage  and  remittances,  but  before  these  could  come  a 
recruit  train  pulled  into  the  station  late  one  night,  a 
squad  of  devil-may-care  blue-coats  got  away  somewhere ; 
speedily  found  whisky,  and  then,  w^hen  ripe  for  mischief, 
ran  foul  of  this  lone  young  Englishman,  whom  they 
forthwith  proceeded  to  ''  guy."  He  knocked  two  of  his 
tormentors  into  the  gutter,  and  was  then  set  upon  by  the 
entire  party.  Within  two  minutes  thereafter  he  would 
probably  have  been  kicked  into  pulp  had  he  not,  within 
ten  seconds,  whipped  out  his  pistol  and  opened  fire.  The 
police  swooped  upon  the  party,  capturing  one  dead  and 
one  wounded  soldier,  and  one  battered,  bleeding  young 
Briton  with  a  smoking  revolver  tight-grasped  in  his  fist. 
The  other  recruits  had  scattered.  When  the  case  came 
to  trial,  however,  it  was  six  against  one.  The  soldiers 
stoutly  swore  they  were  only  "  having  a  little  fun  with 
him  "  when  he  whirled  on  them  and  shot  two.  Not  until 
after  Pyne  had  been  convicted  and  sentenced  did  his 
friends  begin  to  be  heard  from.     Not  until  the  state  de- 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  67 

partment,  through  the  diplomatic  and  consular  service, 
had  had  voluminous  correspondence  and  the  lad  long 
months  of  languishing  in  jail,  did  his  side  of  the  story 
begin  to  tell  on  the  public  mind.  At  last  came  a  pardon, 
coupled  with  advice  to  quit  the  state  and  the  practice  of 
carrying  concealed  weapons,  both  of  which  were  readily 
promised,  and  young  Pyne  was  called  for  by  English  kin- 
folk  and  whisked  away  eastward  and  then  beyond.  Two 
men  who  knew  him  well  in  his  few  Cheyenne  days  were 
Murray,  then  mine  host  of  the  Eureka,  and  Blossom,  then 
deputy  sheriff;  the  former  inimical  because  defrauded, 
the  latter  friendly  because  he  had  profited  by  the  bounty 
of  Pyne's  kindred  when  they  finally  came.  Possibly  in 
the  face  of  graver  things  the  lad  had  never  thought  to 
tell  his  people  of  his  little  debt. 

All  this  was  set  before  the  colonel  and  his  chosen  few 
in  the  murmured  conference  that  followed  Murray's 
truculent  announcement.  He  was  for  having  Blossom 
take  instant  measures  to  run  down  the  possible  mur- 
derer, who  could  be  none  other  than  Pyne,  while  Blos- 
som sturdily  scoffed  at  the  whole  theor>',  declared  his 
belief  that  Pyne  was  not  in  America,  and  his  conviction 
that  he  was  in  no  wise  concerned  in  the  case.  Blossom 
said  his  suspicions  pointed  to  Fox. 

"Why?"  snapped  the  colonel  and  Major  Baker,  in  a 


68  COMRADES   IN    ARMS 

breath.  They  had  kept  him  still  in  ignorance  of  Crabbe's 
arrest,  and  Mack,  at  least,  was  overjoyed  at  the  possi- 
bility of  clearing  the  cloth.  Hardly  another  sound  was 
heard  as  the  civil  official  began  his  reply.  In  strained 
attention,  every  man  now  on  his  feet,  they  listened, 
breathless. 

"  Because  Fox  has  had  some  trouble  with  the  lieuten- 
ant. Because  he  was  in  town  drinking  two  evenings  ago, 
and  let  fall  some  things  about  Mr.  Langham  he  never 
would  have  said  if  he  hadn't  been  in  ugly  mood,  and  when 
some  barroom  loafer  laughed  at  him,  probably  to  pro- 
voke him  into  saying  more,  he  declared  that  he  could 
tell  things  that  would  '  drive  the  damned  snob  out  of  the 
army.'  Those  were  his  own  words.  He  said  he  would 
have  quit  the  lieutenant's  service  six  weeks  ago  if  he 

could  have  got  his  wages "     And  here  the  eyes  of  the 

adjutant  and  quartermaster  met  across  the  parlor  table. 
"  He  said  the  lieutenant  himself  might  have  to  skip  the 
country  any  minute,  and  then  he'd  get  his  pay  out  of 
things  the  lieutenant  couldn't  take  with  him.  Now,  you 
tell  me  Fox  is  missing.  There's  the  man  I  mean  to 
look  for." 

For  a  moment  no  man  spoke.  Then  the  colonel  turned 
on  Briggs.  "  You  heard  some  strange  words  between 
them  this  afternoon.     What  were  they  ?  " 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  69 

Briggs  flushed  and  balked,  painfully.  It  was  one  thing 
to  have  to  tell  his  commander,  in  confidence,  of  words 
he  had  accidentally  overheard  that  pointed  to  Fox  as 
having  a  grievance.  It  was  another  to  tell  it  to  a  room 
half  full.  Briggs  looked  appealingly  at  his  colonel,  but 
Mack  was  obdurate.  He  resented  Major  Baker's  melo- 
dramatic method  of  bringing  Crabbe  to  grief.  He  felt 
that  a  stigma  had  been  planted  upon  the  fair  name  of  the 
regiment,  and  all  through  Baker's  meddlesome  action. 
He  held,  and  held  with  reason,  that  Baker's  proper  course 
was  to  acquaint  him,  the  commanding  officer,  with  what 
he  had  found,  and  then  let  the  commanding  officer  in  his 
own  way  confront  the  suspected  man  with  this  unsus- 
pected evidence.  It  would  be  a  lesson  to  Baker  if  now, 
after  all,  they  could  muster  evidence  so  strong  against 
the  servingman  as  to  relax  the  pressure  on  the  subaltern. 
*'  These  gentlemen  have  all  heard  so  much  they  may  just 
as  well  hear  what  you  heard,  especially  Major  Baker," 
said  the  colonel  sententiously,  and  with  significant  look 
at  the  junior  field  officer.  Thus  adjured  Briggs  bluntly 
said  his  say. 

"  They  were  packing  or  unpacking  some  things,  revol- 
vers, among  others.  Fox  seemed  surly  or  sullen,  and  I 
heard  Mr.  Langham  speaking  somewhat  angrily.  What 
he  said  practically  was  this :     '  Knowing  what  you  do, 


70  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

then  you  should  have  got  everything  ready  at  once.  I 
may  start  any  moment.'  " 

Again  there  was  silence.  No  one  seemed  to  know 
just  what  to  say.  Murray  sank  into  a  chair  and  sat 
glaring  at  Blossom.     The  latter  was  the  first  to  speak : 

"  That  tallies  with  what  I  heard — with  what  I  know — 
Fox  let  slip  in  town.  Again  I  say  Fox  is  the  man  we 
should  be  chasing,  and  you  tell  me  he  has  not  been  seen 
since  ten  o'clock,  and  had  been  drinking  again  ?  "  This  to 
Briggs.  The  adjutant  bowed.  It  was  as  Blossom  had 
said. 

"  And  you  had  to  break  in  the  stable  door,  I  under- 
stand, to  get  the  wounded  horse  to  his  stall.  If  I  were 
in  your  place,  colonel,  I'd  have  that  door  replaced  and 
locked  this  very  night.  There's  neither  stage  nor  train 
until  afternoon,  and  if  Fox  skips,  or  has  skipped,  it's  in 
saddle  probably.  There  isn't  a  horse  hereabouts  can 
catch  either  of  those  runners  of  Mr.  Langham's  with 
Fox  up." 

"  He'd  have  to  get  him  out  right  under  the  sentry's 
nose,"  said  the  colonel.  "  But  the  suggestion  is  good. 
See  to  it  first  thing  in  the  morning,  Potts.  And  here's 
the  officer-of-the-day  now.  I  want  you  to  give  your  sen- 
try orders  to  watch  that  stable  of  Mr.  Langham's  espe- 
cially."    The   colonel    had    turned,    as   he   spoke,    to   a 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  71 

solemn-faced,  soldierly  looking  officer  who  come  clank- 
ing swiftly  in.  But  they  read  tidings  in  his  somber  eyes 
before  ever  he  opened  his  lips. 

"  Mr.  Langham's  stable,  sir  ? "  was  the  embarrassed 
answer.  ''  I  fear  it's  too  late.  The  sergeant  has  just 
come  running  to  tell  me  that  Champion  is  gone." 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    LADY    IN    THE    CASE. 

A  NOTHER  night  had  come  to  Minneconjoii  and 
/""%  still  other  theories  as  to  the  assault.  Langham's 
few  conscious  moments  had  been  spent  in  such 
severe  pain  that  the  surgeons  found  themselves  forced  to 
administer  opiates.  In  answer  to  questions  the  injured 
man  gasped  that  he  saw  no  assailant.  The  shots  came 
from  the  darkness.  Now  Fox  and  Champion  both  had 
vanished  from  the  scene.  The  gallant  horse  had  been  led 
from  the  little  stable  while  the  sentry,  either  through  col- 
lusion or  stupidity,  was  sauntering  up  his  post  full  fifty 
yards  away.  This  according  to  his  own  wretched  story. 
He  claimed  that,  until  the  sergeant's  visit,  he  never  saw 
anything  of  horse  or  human  after  the  veterinarian  and  his 
assistants  left  at  half  past  one.  It  was  on  the  stroke  of 
three  when  the  sergeant  of  the  guard  came  running 
up  the  road  to  tell  his  tale.  Number  Six  had  then  been 
taken  off  post,  stripped  forthwith  of  arms  and  equipment, 
and  confined  in  the  guard-house.  Number  Six  swore 
stoutly  that  Fox  hadn't  been  anywhere  about  the  stable, 
that  if  the  horse  was  gone  he  had  just  broken  his  halter 

72 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  73 

shank  ancl  started.  But  Champion  could  never  have 
saddled  and  bridled  himself,  and  saddle  and  bridle,  Lang- 
ham's  handsome  English  set,  were  gone  with  the  horse. 
They  trailed  him  with  lanterns  across  the  springy  bunch 
grass  of  the  mesa,  dow^n  into  the  bed  of  the  North  Fork, 
then  away  eastward  toward  the  sheriff's  ranch,  and  the 
sheriff  went  lumbering  to  town  to  wire  far  and  wide,  and 
warn  all  fellow  officers  to  look  out  for  the  fugitive.  But 
no  pursuit  was  ordered  from  the  post.  Fox  and  Cham- 
pion could  ride  nearly  two  miles  to  a  trooper's  one. 
Fox's  self  obliteration  had,  of  course,  concentrated  sus- 
picion on  himself.  But  Briggs  and  Gridley  had  been 
looking  over  Langham's  quarters,  and  the  amount  of 
loose  change  and  trinkets  in  the  upper  drawers  of  his 
bureau — items  to  which  Fox  had  easy  and  frequent  ac- 
cess— caught  their  attention  at  once.  If  Fox  had  fled  it 
was  strange  he  left  so  much  cash  and  convertible  assets 
behind.  True,  after  the  assault  there  might  have  been 
no  opportunity  to  help  himself,  but  there  had  been 
abundant  time  before.  And  that  the  assault  was  planned 
and  premeditated  was  a  thing  no  man  could  actually 
assert,  yet  that  all  men  felt.  Langham,  in  the  moment 
that  he  could  speak  of  it  at  all,  had  declared  the  shots 
came  without  word  of  warning.  He  had  swooned  again 
before  tb&y  could  question  him  as  to  his  companion. 


U  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

And  so  at  noonday,  the  second  of  "  Old  Hardtack's  " 
official  visit,  there  were  no  less  than  three  different  men 
suspected  of  being  Langham's  assailant.  Major  Baker 
and  a  few  of  his  backers  and  believers  held  to  the  theory 
that  Crabbe  was  the  criminal.  There  was  the  damning 
and  damaging  evidence  of  his  precious  Loyal  Legion 
insignia.  Sheriff  Blossom,  with  Lieutenant  Briggs  and 
almost  all  the  junior  officers,  clung  to  the  conviction  that 
Fox  was  the  traitor  who  had  done  his  master  so  near  to 
death.  Murray,  of  the  Argenta,  with  rather  a  large  fol- 
lowing of  friends  in  town,  believed  that  Pyne,  the  once 
conspicuous,  was  the  would-be  assassin,  and  these 
civilians  were  searching  high  and  low  for  motive. 
Several  citizens  had  seen  Mr.  Langham  in  converse  with 
the  two  strangers  at  the  station.  Some  had  seen  him 
walk  away  in  company  with  one  of  the  arrivals  on  the 
belated  express.  The  train  had  changed  engines  and 
stopped  twenty  minutes.  The  passengers,  as  a  rule,  had 
taken  supper  at  Murray's,  or  browsed  at  the  lunch 
counter.  The  train  was  far  across  the  great  divide  and 
spinning  through  the  gorges  of  the  Sagamore  by  the 
time  Silver  Hill  began  investigating  on  its  own  account, 
and  meanwhile,  first  thing  in  the  morning.  Potts  had 
taken  to  saddle  and  the  prairie;  had  gone  again  to  the 
ford  and  begun  his  researches  afresh.    At  breakfast  time 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  75 

he  was  back  at  the  post  and  the  colonel's.  He  believed 
he  had  found  that  which  should  relieve  Crabbe  at  once, 
and  so  expressed  himself.  Moreover,  it  disposed  of 
Murray's  theory  as  to  Pyne,  and,  more  compactly  than 
before,  laid  the  load  of  suspicion  on  the  shoulders  of 
Fox.  Potts  had  ridden  half  way  back  to  town,  and 
studied  the  trail  in  a  dozen  spots  and  confidently  de- 
clared that,  whether  Fox  was  or  was  not  the  assailant, 
it  was  Fox,  not  Pyne,  that  accompanied  him  on  the  home- 
ward ride. 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  "  asked  the  post  commander. 

"  Because,  had  it  been  Pyne,  they  would  have  ridden 
side  by  side,  but  this  man  rode  behind.  In  many  a 
place  the  hoofprints  of  the  second  horse  almost  obliterate 
those  of  the  first,"  was  the  answer,  and  the  answer  was 
true.  Blossom  saw  it  for  himself  when  he  came  out 
again  at  midday,  and  Blossom  had  been  asking  questions 
at  the  stable  where  Langham  left  his  beautiful  horse  on 
reaching  town.  The  manager  said  that  in  half  an  hour 
the  lieutenant  was  back,  that  he  ordered  an  extra  saddle 
horse ;  gave  no  word  of  explanation ;  said  he  would  send 
the  horse  home  the  following  morning,  and  then  rode 
away,  leading  him.  That  horse  wandered  in  at  dawn, 
very  much  wearied  and  looking  as  though  he  had  been 
ridden  hard.     Only  one  other  thing  attracted  attention. 


76  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

The  leathers  had  been  shortened,  three  holes  on  each 
side.  It  was  remembered  that  Fox  used  a  very  short 
stirrup. 

Then  the  railway  officials,  thanks  to  Sheriff  Blossom, 
had  been  wiring  after  that  night  express.  They  wished 
the  conductor  to  ascertain  the  names  of  two  passengers 
in  the  Pullman  who  had  had  an  animated  talk  with  an 
officer  at  the  station  platform.  They  wished  to  know 
whither  they  were  bound  and  whence  they  came,  etc.  The 
conductor  replied  that  the  names  given  were  Brown  and 
Jones ;  that  the  parties  evidently  resented  such  inquiries ; 
that  they  came  from  Chicago  and  were  going  "through"; 
that  several  Pullman  pasengers  got  out  at  Silver  Hill,  but 
none  remained  there,  in  fact,  they  had  two  more  passen- 
gers than  on  arriving  at  that  point.  Then  while  Murray's 
friend  Pyne  might  have  walked  away  with  Mr.  Langham 
before  the  train  started,  he  must  have  returned  in  time 
and  could  not,  therefore,  have  ridden  forth  with  that  offi- 
cer. No,  all  things  now  pointed  to  the  luckless  Fox,  and 
by  ID  A.  M.  a  liveryman  was  found  who  declared  that 
he  brought  Fox  to  town  at  10.30  the  previous  night, 
and  had  not  seen  him  since.  Then  the  bartender  at  a  sec- 
ond-rate saloon  announced  that  Fox  was  there  at  eleven, 
"  pretty  full  "  and  wanted  to  borrow  ten  dollars,  which 
was  refused  him.    Finally  BuUard's  gardener,  out  late  to 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  77 

see  a  sweetheart,  declared  he  saw  Fox  reehng  toward  the 
railway  station  just  before  the  train  pulled  out  to  the  west, 
and  a  minute  later  passed  Lieutenant  Langham  and  a 
stranger  walking  in  the  same  direction.  The  chances  were 
that  the  lieutenant  had  overtaken  his  groom,  noticed  his 
condition  and  had  ordered  him  to  be  ready  to  ride  back 
to  the  post.  No  one  ever  saw  Fox  so  full  that  he  couldn't 
ride.  At  noon,  therefore,  the  possible  Pyne  had  been  elim- 
inated from  the  case,  much  to  the  sheriff's  triumphant  sat- 
isfaction, and  suspicion  was  now  divided  between  Crabbe, 
the  subaltern,  and  Fox,  the  scamp. 

Then  came  still  another  searcher  for  information,  and 
Mrs.  Bullard,  who  had  sent  a  mounted  messenger  to  the 
post  at  eight,  now  followed  in  person  at  4  P.  M.,  and 
dismounted  at  the  gate  of  her  hostess  of  the  night  before, 
the  wife  of  the  commanding  officer.  There  were  dark 
circles  about  the  lady's  beautiful  eyes,  and  her  face  had 
lost  much  of  its  bright  color.  ''  I  have  not  slept  an  hour," 
said  she,  with  frankness  unlooked  for.  *'And  Mr.  Bul- 
lard is  quite  as  much  distressed  as  I  am,  but  he  had  to 
be  at  his  office.  I  told  him  I  would  come  out  to  see  what 
we  could  do  for  ^Ir.  Langham.  It  was  a  great  relief  to 
hear  that  he  was  at  least  no  worse." 

Mrs.  Mack  stood  stately  and  unresponsive — ^**just 
drawed  myself  up,"  as  said  the  good  lady.      But  Mrs. 


78  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

Mack's  unbending  attitude,  physical  and  mental,  received 
distinct  sense  of  shock  with  the  stylish  visitor's  very  next 
suggestion :    "  I  wonder  if  I  could  see — Kitty  Belden." 

Now,  why  on  earth  should  the  mature  and  prominent 
leader  of  Silver  Hill  society  desire  to  see  the  sixteen-year- 
old  child  of  the  garrison.  Mrs.  Mack  could  imagine  all 
manner  of  reasons,  but  assert  none.  In  spite  of  herself 
and  her  resolution,  she  fairly  bristled  with  curiosity  and 
interest.  Still  she  was,  to  use  her  own  expression,  some- 
what "  dubersome,"  and  her  answer  was  hesitating. 
"  Why,  I  suppose  so,"  was  the  reply,  "  though — you  know 
the  captain  and  his  wife  have — notions." 

"  As  to  me,  you  mean  ?  Yes,  I  have  observed ;  but  we 
all  have  our  likes  and  dislikes.  Now,  I  greatly  like  their 
child  and  fancy  that  I  should  like  them  were  we  at  all 
acquainted,  but,  since  returning  my  call  last  winter,  Mrs. 
Belden  hasn't  been  near  me.  And  now,  with  this  dread- 
ful thing "    Then  suddenly :    "  You  know  Kitty  used 

to  ride  a  good  deal  with  Mr.  Langham.    Then " 

"  Then  her  pa  and  ma  thought  it  time  to  call  a  halt," 
said  Mrs.  Mack,  "  and  it's  good  for  her  they  did." 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Bullard,  drawing  her  whiplash 
through  the  slender  fingers  of  her  left  hand,  and  looking 
unflinchingly  in  the  other's  flitting  eyes. 

"  Well,  it  ain't  for  me  to  say.     Ask  them,"  said  Mrs. 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  79 

Mack.    "  She  might  have  got — interested  in  Langham 

Some  women  do." 

"/  am  one,"  said  Mrs.  Bullard,  with  calm  and  instant 
assurance.  *'  He  interests  me  more  than  any  of  your  offi- 
cers. As  a  class  I  find  them  rather  dull.  Mr.  Lang- 
ham  has  lived,  read,  seen,  traveled.'' 

Mrs.  Mack  could  only  gasp.  This  was  brazen  effront- 
ery, thought  she,  yet  never  looked  the  woman  brazen, 
never  was  there  in  her  placid,  polished  manner  a  symptom 
of  bravado.  She  spoke  of  her  interest  as  something  quite 
beyond  criticism  or  suspicion,  something  to  be  considered 
a  perfectly  proper  and  legitimate  regard,  something  as  un- 
objectionable in  the  eyes  of  her  lord  and  master  as  it 
should  be,  consequently,  in  those  of  her  associates.  Versed 
in  the  ways  of  society  East  and  abroad,  Mrs.  Bullard  had 
tolerance,  but  no  sympathy,  for  the  limitations  of  the 
West.  Society  in  the  arm  of  the  frontier  could  not  under- 
stand her,  nor  could  she  quite  explain.  Despite  the  dark 
circles,  she  was  very  handsome  in  her  stylish  riding  habit, 
for  her  features  were  fine,  her  figure  was  still  slender  and 
beautiful,  and  honest,  buxom  Mrs.  Mack,  her  senior  by 
twenty  unshadowed  years,  looked  upon  her  enviously. 
There  were  times  when  Mrs.  Mack  could  even  have  ac- 
cepted Mrs.  BuUard's  questionable  morals  could  she  only 
have  been  gifted  with  her  unquestionable  graces.     But 


80  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

this  declaration  of  social  independence  shocked  the  stout 
heart  of  the  elder  into  silence.  She  really  knew  not  what 
to  say,  though  vaguely  she  felt  that  it  should  be  rebuked. 

**  Why  don't  you  go  and — ask  for  Kitty  if  you  want  to 
vsee  her  ?  " 

"  Because,  frankly,  Mrs.  Mack,  I  have  questions  to  ask 
her  that  are  for  herself  alone.  Now,  even  in  telling  you 
this  I  have  come  to  ask  you  to  help  me." 

*'  Well,  of  all  the  extryoniary  women  I  ever  heard  of!  " 
^Irs.  Mack  was  saying  to  herself,  when  the  trumpets 
began  sounding  stable  call  at  the  cavalry  barracks.  Then 
the  bugler  at  the  foot  of  the  flag-staff  pealed  forth  the 
summons  for  afternoon  police.  The  few  prisoners  at  the 
guard-house  came  filing  forth  under  charge  of  the  sentries, 
and  Mack,  himself,  coming  from  the  adjutant's  office, 
orderly  followed,  stopped  one  minute  at  his  gate  to  study 
the  thoroughbred  and  his  handsome  equipment,  then 
straightway  entered  the  house  and  asked :  "  Where  is 
Mrs.  Bullard?" 

The  voice  that  answered  from  a  shaded  nook  in  the 
parlor  was  sweet  and  silvery.  *'  Here,  colonel,  and  wait- 
ing for  you  with  a  score  of  questions,"  and  not  at  all  did 
Mrs.  Mack  approve  it  that  instantly  the  lady  left  her  side 
and  went  with  outstretched  hand  to  meet  the  husband  and 
putative  commander.    "  That  woman  has  too  many  fasci* 


COMRADES   IK  ARMS  81 

nations — and  followers,"  said  Mrs.   Mack,  "  and  Mack 
himself  is  such  a  fool  about — them." 

But  Mack  came  not  in  mood  to  woo  or  captivate.  The 
worries  of  the  day  and  night  gone  by  had  left  their  im- 
press on  both  his  senses  and  his  spirit.  "  Hardtack,"  too, 
had  had  little  of  the  laudatory  to  say  as  to  the  condition  of 
the  command.  He  had,  indeed,  been  somewhat  captious 
in  his  criticisms,  and  had  not  yet  half  finished  his  investi- 
gations. "  Hardtack  "  had  gone  so  far  as  to  intimate  that 
he,  Mack,  a  colonel  of  Foot  and  commander  of  the  fort, 
had  been  derelict  in  his  dealings  with  these  subalterns, 
lax  in  supervision,  and  the  like.  ''  Hardtack  "  thought  it 
the  duty  of  commanding  officers  to  curb  young  gentlemen 
who  essayed  extravagance  of  any  kind.  This  business 
of  lieutenants  owning  fine  horses  and  swagger  outfits, 
Corot  pictures  and  Persian  rugs,  for  instance,  was  never 
heard  of  when  he  was  in  the  line.  "  Hardtack  "  didn't 
know  a  Corot  from  a  chromo,  possibly,  but  vaguely  he  felt 
that  Langham's  plight  was  due  to  Langham's  patrician 
tastes  and  habits,  and  yet  that  all  disaster  might  have  been 
averted  had  Mack  but  curbed  him — that  was  the  word — 
curbed  him  at  the  outset.  Now,  Mack  had  been  a  fine 
rider  in  his  day,  and  loved  good  horseflesh  and  good 
horsemanship  to  this.  Therefore,  if  he  knew  anything  at 
all,  he  knew  that  curbing  was  a  thing  to  exasperate  si 


82  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

thoroughbred,  and  if  it  rasped  and  worried  a  horse  sc 
must  curbing  rasp  a  rider  of  spirit.  So  far  as  he  was 
concerned,  he  said,  he  wished  all  officers  owned  their 
horses  and  could  ride  like  Langham.  "  The  regulations," 
said  "  Hardtack,"  "  do  not  contemplate  such — er — possi- 
bilities." And  in  the  eyes  of  that  accomplished  officer 
the  revised  regulations  of  the  United  States  army  and 
the  Holy  Scriptures  took  rank  in  the  order  named.  "  As 
matters  have  turned  out,"  said  he,  "  it  seems  that  Lang- 
ham  was  living  much  beyond  his  means,  and  couldn't 
afford  such  luxuries." 

"  As  matters  have  turned  out,"  said  Mack  in  reply, 
"  Langham  has  been  temporarily  deprived  of  means  he 
had  every  reason  to  count  on  when  he  came  here,  and  I 
know  it.  The  luxuries  had  been  bought  and  paid  for  long 
ago — or  else  given  to  him."  Nettled  at  this  defense,  the 
inquisitor  inspector  had  then  said  something  as  to  Lang- 
ham and  Langham's  conduct  and  Mack's  apparent  blind- 
ness thereto  that  sent  the  colonel  homeward  with  crack- 
ling nerves  and  angering  eyes.  There  at  his  own  gate 
stood,  side-saddled,  the  evidence  that  the  disturber  of  the 
inquisitorial  peace  and  the  post  commander's  serenity 
was  probably  within. 

Mack  came  to  question  and  remained  to  plead,  for  Mrs. 
BuUard's  first  interrogation  put  him  on  the  defensive. 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  83 

*'  Colonel  Mack,  have  you  wired  Mr.  Langham's  rela- 
tives?" 

Mack  had  not.  He  had  devoutly  hoped  no  one  had 
thought  of  such  a  thing.  It  would  only  terrify  a  mother 
already,  so  he  had  been  told,  much  broken  in  health.  It 
would  only  get  into  the  Chicago  papers,  said  he,  and  that 
to  Mack,  once  stationed  at  Fort  Sheridan,  meant  noth- 
ing short  of  sheol.  That  it  was  already  in  the  Chicago 
evening  papers,  and  that  managing  editors  of  the  morn- 
ing sheets  were  wiring  for  full  particulars,  had  not  yet 
occurred  to  him.  He  felt  himself  chafing  at  this  woman's 
presuming  to  question  him  as  to  what,  in  the  line  of  his 
duty,  he  had  or  had  not  done.  He  stood  at  the  curtained 
entrance  from  his  hall  to  the  spacious  parlor,  halted  prac- 
tically by  her  challenge.  He  felt  a  sneaking  sense  of 
relief  when  the  orderly's  rap  was  heard  at  the  open  door, 
and  the  orderly's  voice  in  the  announcement :  "  Telegram, 
sir." 

He  turned,  tore  off  the  envelope,  unfolded  the  yellow- 
brown  half  sheet,  and  read  from  the  office  of  the  adju- 
tant general  at  Washington  the  following  message : 

Sec.  War  directs  seven  days'  leave  granted  Lieutenant  Lang- 
ham  at  once,  to  be  extended  from  this  office.  Mother  seriously 
ill. 

Slowly  Mack  refolded  the  message.     His  eyes  wan- 


84  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

dered  a  moment,  then  returned  to  the  contemplation  of 
the  graceful  figure  before  him. 

"  Mrs.  Bullard,"  said  he,  "  they  are  wiring  for  him 
His  mother,  I  fear,  is  desperately  ill.  Now,  I'll  have  to 
tell  them." 

'*  Tell  tlieni  anything  you  wish,  colonel,"  then  with 
almost  commanding  emphasis,  "  but  unless  you  wish  to 
kill,  tell  her — or  him — nothing." 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  KNTGHT  AND  THE  LADV. 

THE  wire  that  went  to  Washington  in  response 
to  the  mandate  of  the  war  secretary  merely 
stated  that  Lieutenant  Langham  had  met  with 
an  accident,  was  unconscious,  and  unable  to  travel.  Par- 
ticulars by  mail.  But  both  Mack  and  his  loyal  adjutant 
well  knew  by  this  time,  and  as  a  result  of  the  confidences 
growing  out  of  the  creditors'  complaints  heretofore  men- 
tioned, that  between  Langham  and  his  devoted  mother 
there  lived  a  degree  of  affection  bordering  on  the  intense, 
— a  tie  stronger,  yet  tenderer,  far  than  usually  unites 
mother  and  son.  Knowing  this,  and  having  heard  from 
Langham's  lips  his  version  of  the  causes  of  the  complaints 
and  the  delays  in  certain  payments,  these  two  officers  had 
not  hesitated  to  stand  between  the  regimental  dandy  and 
criticism  from  any  source.  "  Everything  has  been  ex- 
plained to  my  satisfaction,"  said  the  colonel,  a  trifle  pom- 
pously, perhaps,  "  and  in  a  short  time  these  people  will  be 
kicking  themselves  for  ever  having  started  proceedings 
against  him."  And  with  this  declaration  Langham's  de- 
tractors found  themselves  confronted,  and  with  the  same 

85 


86  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

were  his  defenders  comforted.  Now,  through  her  own 
impetuosity,  Mrs.  Bullard  had  revealed  to  Colonel  Mack 
that  she,  too,  had  been  taken  Into  the  confidence  of  his  in- 
dependent subaltern,  and  to  an  extent  that  enabled  her, 
probably,  to  know  much  more  of  Langham's  affairs  and 
relatives  than  did  the  post  commander.  Whatsoever  this 
fact  may  have  missed  in  significance,  so  far  as  the  colonel 
was  concerned,  it  lost  nothing  in  the  eyes  of  his  wife. 
Mrs.  Mack  had  listened  with  all  her  ears,  which  were 
large,  and  pondered  with  all  her  soul,  which  was  small. 
It  was  not  good  that  a  woman  in  no  wise  allied  to  the 
regiment  should  be  the  confidant  of  its  most  interesting 
and  eligible  officer,  when  there  were  so  many  to  choose 
from  at  the  fort.  Mrs.  Bullard  was  no  favorite  of  Mrs. 
Mack's  when  police  call  and  stables  were  being  sounded 
at  four  o'clock.  Mrs.  Bullard  was  distinctly  in  madame's 
bad  books  by  the  time  the  bugles  were  calling  the  men 
into  ranks  for  sunset  dress  parade. 

It  was  the  hour  at  which  the  valley  of  the  Minneconjou 
was  at  its  best.  The  low,  slanting  sunshine  threw  long 
shadows  eastward  toward  the  glinting  spires  and  domes 
of  the  busy  little  frontier  city.  Pine-clad  heights  to  the 
west  and  north  fringed  and  framed  the  far-spreading 
picture,  even  as  they  screened  the  garrison  and  its  nestling 
settlement  from  the  rude  blasts  that  came  whirling  and 


COMRADES  IN,  ARMS  87 

whistling  down  the  broad  waste  of  the  "  bad  lands " 
away  toward  the  Yellowstone.  Southward  the  prairie 
rolled,  ridge  after  ridge,  wave  after  wave,  until  it  sent 
its  gray-green  surges  tumbling  skyward  far  beyond  the 
tawny  river  and  spanned  the  horizon  from  east  to  west  in 
the  long  barrier  of  Calumet  Range.  So  too,  lay  even, 
gentle  slope,  bold,  rounded  bluff,  and  gracefully  winding 
stream — all  spread  before  the  eye,  unscreened  by  other 
foliage  than  that  of  the  scattered  cottonwoods  along  the 
shallow,  sandy  reaches  of  the  river.  Far  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  thriving  county  seat  one  could  almost  see 
where  the  Minneconjou  poured  its  swift-flowing,  swirl- 
ing tribute  into  the  spreading  flood  of  the  broad  and 
turbid  Cheyenne.  Rollicking  down  from  the  beetling 
heights  behind  the  post,  the  North  Fork  came  leaping, 
sparkling,  tossing  its  snowy  spray,  an  almost  ice-cold  tor- 
rent at  any  season  of  the  year,  the  joy  of  the  angler  until 
civilization  scared  away  the  trout ;  the  hope  of  miner  and 
prospector  until  science  settled  the  silver  question;  and 
now  the  boast  of  Silver  Hill  as  laundry,  lavatory,  and 
latent  power  all  in  one.  Rushing  into  the  valley  nearly 
three  miles  north  of  the  fort,  it  left  that  martial  bailiwick 
far  to  its  right  and  tore  impetuously  townwards,  there  to 
lose  its  crystalline  and  incomparable  sheen,  and  to  emerge 
at  the  eastward  edge,  soiled,  bedraggled,  and  ashamed,  a 


88  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

city  sewer  and  nothing  more;  yet,  even  after  its  base 
use  and  degradation,  preserving  much  of  the  wild  grace 
that  won  it  the  Indian  name  of  Leaping  Water.  On  the 
bank  of  the  Fork,  northwest  of  town,  were  the  corrals 
and  buildings  of  Sheriff  Blossom's  ranch.  On  its  left 
bank,  in  the  heart  of  Silver  Hill,  lay  the  costly  and  pre- 
tentious home  of  Amos  Bullard,  banker  and  capitalist. 
On  both  banks  of  the  Fork,  toward  the  eastward  end  of 
town,  were  smelters,  foundries,  and  machine  shops.  It 
served  them  all,  and  served  them  well.  It  was  but  rudely 
served  in  turn.  The  railway,  leaving  the  levels  of  the 
Cheyenne  and  the  meanderings  of  the  Minneconjou, 
wound  along  the  fork,  leaping  it  here  and  there  until  it 
reached  the  eastward  edge  of  town,  then  curved  abruptly 
to  the  southwest  and  crawled  snake-like  away  over  the 
open  uplands,  seeking  the  easiest  grade  to  the  Sagamore 
Pass. 

One  of  Fort  Minneconjou's  diversions  was  to  stroll 
or  ride  out  southwestward,  fording  the  lazier  stream 
from  which  it  was  named,  and  to  line  up  along  the  wind- 
ing right-of-way  and  surprise  the  passengers  of  the  west- 
bound flyer  with  hearty  and  stentorian  cheer  as  it  went 
puffing,  panting,  straining  up  the  divide,  a  marked  con- 
trast to  the  mate  it  met  in  the  heart  of  the  pass,  that  came 
easily  gliding  or  coasting,  with  smoke-spitting  tires,  with 


COMRADES   IN,   ARMS  89 

wheezing  complaint  of  the  gripping  brakes,  and  looking 
in  the  black  nights  of  winter  like  fettered  meteor  or  fiery 
dragon  of  old.  Government  had  built  a  little  station  two 
miles  southwest  of  the  post,  and  paid  for  a  siding,  with 
the  idea  of  a  much  shorter  haul  for  its  stores  and  sup- 
plies; but  passengers,  it  was  observed,  still  preferred  to 
go  and  come  via  Silver  Hill.  Time  was  when  a  small 
guard  had  been  maintained  at  this  lonely  depot  out  on  the 
southwestward  prairie,  but  Alack  had  long  since  with- 
drawn it  as  unnecessary,  yet  this  lonely  June  evening,  as 
he  watched  the  prompt,  soldierly  formation  of  his  regi- 
mental line,  and  wondered  if  "  Old  Hardtack  "  would  not 
be  in  mollified  mood  as  a  result  of  so  fine  an  exhbition  of 
precision.  Mack  was  wishing  he  had  never  recalled  the 
outpost.  Only  half  an  hour  before  first  call  for  parade, 
and  w^hile  Mrs.  Bullard  was  still  at  the  post  striving  to 
extract  hopeful  words  from  Dr.  Warren,  a  strange  tale 
was  told  him  by  Lieutenant  Gridley,  Langham's  one  real 
friend  among  the  subalterns,  and  Gridley  had  been  out 
scouting  on  his  own  account  and  because  of  certain  theo- 
ries of  his  own. 

The  brief   conference  between  the   colonel   and  this 
officer  was  ended  by  these  words : 

"  Then  with  your  permission,  sir,  I  will  not  attend 
parade,  but  will  escort  Mrs.  Bullard  home." 


90  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

''  So  be  it,  Gridley.  She — may  tell  you,  as  his  friend — 
what  she  would  never  tell  me." 

Turning  away  with  parting  salute,  Gridley  stopped  one 
moment  to  look  at  his  faithful  comrade,  the  troop  horse 
he  had  been  bestriding  many  hours  of  the  afternoon. 
"  Take  him  to  the  stables,  orderly,"  he  said,  after  an  ap- 
preciative pat  or  two.  "  He  has  done  his  share  to-day," 
then  went  briskly  down  the  line,  raising  his  cap  to  the 
groups  of  garrison  ladies  seated  on  the  verandas  in  readi- 
ness to  watch  parade.  At  Dr.  Warren's  there  was  quite 
a  little  gathering,  Mrs.  Bullard,  in  her  stunning  riding 
habit,  central  figure  of  the  party.  They  all  looked  up  as 
he  entered  the  gate.  They  all  knew  that  in  Jim  Gridley 
they  saw  the  closest  friend  of  the  sorely  injured  officer. 
They  knew  he  had  been  out  during  much  of  the  day, 
investigating  on  his  own  account,  and,  believing  that  he 
acted  on  knowledge  or  information  shared  by  nobody 
else,  were  eager  to  hear  the  result.  Gridley  bowed 
gravely  and  comprehensively ;  said,  "  Good-evening, 
ladies,"  to  all,  and  then,  giving  no  time  for  question,  ad- 
dressed himself  at  once  to  the  one  woman  of  the  half 
dozen  present  to  whom  he  had  hardly  spoken  twice  in  the 
scope  of  a  year: 

"  Mrs.  Bullard,  may  I  have  the  pleasure  of  escorting 
you  when  you  are  ready  to  return  ? '' 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  »1 

Mrs.  Bullard  flushed  with  surprise  and  a  certain  embar- 
rassment. Gridley's  simple  directness  was  a  thing  as  new 
to  her  as  the  invitation  was  unexpected.  For  certain 
reasons,  she  had  beHeved  he  disHked  or  distrusted  her. 
She  had  told  Langham  as  much,  and  told  herself  that 
Langham  had  told  him.  A  moderate  degree  of  courtesy 
and  attention  Jim  Gridley  had  ever  shown  to  the  women 
of  the  officers'  households  at  the  post,  but  attention  of  any 
kind  to  any  woman  not  of  the  garrison  circle  was  some- 
thing never  looked  for  in  him.  Nothing,  therefore,  could 
have  been  much  more  pointed  or  significant  than  his  thus 
approaching  the  acknowledged  leader  of  Silver  Hill 
society.  Motive  of  some  kind  there  must  be  and  she 
knew  it,  and  naturally  colored  high  under  the  instant 
scrutiny  of  her  associates  and  the  calm  gaze  of  his  deep 
eyes. 

"  You  are  very  kind,  Mr.  Gridley,"  she  replied,  how- 
ever.    "  Shall  we  say  right  after  parade  ?  " 

"  I  shall  be  ready  at  gun  fire,"  he  answered,  with  a 
glance  at  the  flag-staff  where  stood  the  adjutant  and 
sergeant  major  awaiting  the  band.  Another  touch  of  his 
cap  and  he  was  gone,  leaving  them  to  marvel.  Entering 
Langham's  quarters  he  paused  long  enough  to  inquire  of 
a  nurse  how  the  patient  was  doing;  took  one  peep  at 
the  drowsing,  unconscious  form  in  the  bedroom;  bor- 


92  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

rowed  Langham's  crop  and  steel  spurs ;  then  hastened  to 
his  own  quarters.  Adjutant's  call  had  sounded  and  the 
band  w^as  banging  away  at  "  King  Cotton  "  as  he  passed 
within  the  dark  hallway  of  his  little  army  home,  shared 
in  common  wath  a  brother  bachelor  whose  habitat  was 
the  second  floor.  The  band  had  changed  its  tune  and 
>vas  making  its  triumphal  progress  down  the  long,  immov- 
able line  of  blue  and  white — flanked,  as  Mack  would 
liave  it,  by  yellow-plumed  troopers  parading  afoot — 
when,  in  .civilian  garb,  Mr.  Gridley  stepped  forth  into 
the  rear  yard  of  his  quarters  and  there,  aw^aiting  him, 
pawing  impatiently,  and  held  by  a  remonstrating  soldier- 
groom,  was  Major  Baker's  own  pet  mount,  Ivanhoe. 
There,  too,  was  Baker.  Mack  could  not  find  it  possible 
to  order  his  cavalry  major  to  attend  parade  so  long  as  he 
split  up  the  major's  command,  and  Baker  was  glad 
enough  to  be  excused  on  such  terms.  This  evening  he 
was  more  than  glad. 

Holding  still  to  the  belief  that  Crabbe  had  gone  forth 
in  the  dead  of  night ;  had  waylaid  Langham  on  the  prairie 
and  lost  his  Loyal  Legion  insignia,  possibly  in  some 
scufile,  of  which  Langham  had  as  yet  been  able  to  give  no 
account.  Baker  knew  that  he  had  incurred  the  hostility 
of  all  of  Crabbe's  friends  and  most  of  his  fellow  officers. 
Crabbe  or  Fox  it  must  have  been,  said  pretty  much  every- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  93 

body  at  the  post,  with  the  chances  leaning,  said  four  out 
of  five,  to  Fox.  Baker  was  distressed  and  unhappy  over 
the  demonstration  with  which  many  of  his  fellow  officers 
had  favoured  him.  Esprit  de  corps  was  still  alive  in  the 
army  and  had  a  flourishing  growth  in  the  2 — th.  There- 
fore, when  at  noon  that  day,  Jim  Gridley,  looking  worn 
and  harassed,  came  in  to  ask  permission  to  be  absent 
until  parade  and  to  ride  afar.  Baker  opened  his  sore 
heart  and  told  his  trusted  subaltern  his  trouble.  "  Even 
Mack,"  said  he,  "  treats  me  Hkc  a  Pariah  for  what  I  have 
said  and  done,  and  some  of  the  women,  by  gad,  have  cut 
me  dead.  If  it  should  turn  out  after  all  that  Crabbe 
was  utterly  innocent  and  Fox  the  guilty  man,  I'd  wear 
sackcloth  all  summer." 

"  You'll  not  have  to  wear  sackcloth  then,"  said  Gridley 
quietly. 

"  Do  you  mean  you — can  prove — I'm  right  ?  "  asked 
Baker   eagerly. 

"  I  mean,"  said  Gridley,  "  that  I  expect  to  prove  they're 
all  wrong.  I  want  the  afternoon  to  myself.  I  may  want 
to  ride  to  town  this  evening,  and  I  need  a  good  horse  for 
that  ride." 

"Take  Ivanhoe,"  said  the  major  promptly,  an  offer 
he  had  never  been  known  to  make  before,  and  Gridley  a-c- 
cepted.     No  wonder  the  women  looked  surprised  when. 


94  COMRADES  INj  !^RMS 

just  as  they  resumed  their  seats  after  loyally  standing 
through  the  ''  Star  Spangled  Banner  "  Mr.  Gridley  came 
riding  into  view  at  the  east  end  of  the  row  and  riding  the 
major's  precious  and  incomparable  charger.  Mrs.  Bul- 
lard's  saddler  was  already  at  the  gate,  pawing  as  impa- 
tiently as  was  Ivanhoe  but  the  moment  before,  and  casting 
reproachful  glances  at  his  mistress ;  much  disturbed,  too, 
by  the  recent  bang  of  the  evening  gun,  and  giving  the 
soldier  in  charge  about  all  he  could  do  to  hold  him. 
Gridley  noted  the  symptoms  as  he  and  Ivanhoe  drew  near, 
and,  glancing  about  him  as  he  dismounted,  signaled  Mas- 
ter Jerry  Warren,  the  doctor's  eldest,  and  bade  him  hold 
Ivanhoe  one  moment  while  he  looked  to  the  girth  and 
curb  of  the  lady's  thoroughbred.  She  was  by  his  side 
and  ready  to  mount  even  before  he  hoped,  having  said 
adieu  to  all  at  his  approach,  and  Gridley  bowed  to  her  with 
appreciation  in  his  eyes.  Feminine  farewells  had  always 
seemed  to  him  interminable. 

"  Hold  with  your  right  just  below  the  bit,  Doyle,"  said 
he,  to  the  orderly,  "  and  stand  close  in  to  prevent  his 
swinging  out  his  haunches." 

But  Mrs.  Bullard  had  no  fear  of  her  favorite's  jumping 
from  under.  Already  her  gauntleted  right  hand  was  on 
the  pommel  and  the  daintily  booted  left  foot  uplifted  for 
his  aid.    Gridley  stooped ;  took  it,  and  the  lady  bounded 


(^.,^,^^i^ 


"TlIKKK    l.S   JLST   ONE    \\'OMAX   IN    CREATION   ^VHO 
CAN   SET  ME    RIGHT" 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  95 

to  her  seat,  light  as  a  feather  and  quick  as  a  kitten.  It 
needed  only  ten  seconds  to  adjust  skirt  and  stirrup.  She 
nodded  a  cordial  good-night  to  the  group  at  the  piazza; 
smiled  graciously  upon  the  admiring  Irish  trooper,  adding 
a  silvery  "  Thank  you  ever  so  much,"  and  with  practiced 
hand  controlled  the  nervous  curveting  of  her  steed  and 
moved  slowly  gateward.  Gridley  swung  into  saddle  and 
trotted  alongside.  Together  and  in  silence  and  both 
gazing  into  the  open  doorway,  they  moved  slowly  beyond 
Langham's  quarters,  then  more  swiftly  past  the  statuesque 
sentry  at  the  gate,  and  were  well  out  upon  the  open 
prairie  before  the  lady  turned  in  saddle,  looked  squarely 
into  her  escort's  eyes  and  demanded,  "  Now,  Mr.  Gridley, 
kindly  explain  what  this  means." 

For  answer  the  soldier  at  her  side  pointed  southeast- 
ward over  the  level  of  the  "  bench  "  along  the  left  bank  of 
the  Minneconjou  to  a  point  where  the  bridle-path  dipped 
down  to  the  glistening  shallows  of  the  ford. 

"  Mrs.  Bullard,"  said  he,  "  the  man  I  most  like  in  this 
garrison — the  man  who  leans  most  on  me — was  all  but 
murdered  from  ambush  right  there  at  the  fords  last  night. 
Some  men  accuse  Mr.  Crabbe.  Some  men  say  Fox.  I 
have  still  another  theory  and  there  is  just  one  woman  in 
creation  who  can  set  me  right."  He  bent  forward  over 
the  pommel  that  he  might  look  up  and  see  her  eyes,  for 


96  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

now  her  head  was  drooping.  Still  she  never  shunned  the 
issue.  There  was  no  tremor  in  the  tone  with  which  she 
queried,  as  she  lifted  her  head. 

"  And  who  may  she  be,  Mr.  Gridley?  " 

The  answer  was  the  single  word; 

"  You." 


CHAPTER    VTl 


THE    RED    MAN    ON    HIS    WAY. 


ONCE  upon  a  time  in  the  long-ago  da^s  of 
the  army  it  happened  that  a  man  listened  in 
unmurmuring,  unprotesting  silence  to  griev- 
ous accusations  laid  at  his  door ;  bowed  his  humbled  head ; 
tendered  his  resignation  and  departed  forever  from  the 
associations  of  the  profession  he  loved.  Within  the 
month  that  saw  his  name,  by  his  own  act,  stricken  from 
the  rolls,  the  men  who  had  been  his  accusers  woudl  have 
given  almost  their  hopes  of  promotion  could  that  sacri- 
fice have  atoned  for  and  annulled  his. 

For  there  were  women  who  had  their  wits  about  them, 
who  had  ideas  of  their  own  as  to  the  victim  and  the  vic- 
tim's helpmate,  and  these  women  never  rested  until  they 
were  in  position  to  prove  that  the  man  was  innocent. 
They  had  labored  not  because  they  loved  him  more,  but 
because  they  loved  her  less ;  he  had  accepted  and  shoul- 
dered the  sin  of  his  wife.  Mack,  colonel  commanding 
Fort  Minneconjou  in  the  year  '97,  had  known  them  both. 
Gridley,  subaltern  of  cavalry,  who  had  known  neither, 
>vas  none  the  less  known  to  have  expressed  strenuous 

97 


98  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

opinions  on  the  subject.  Gridley  had  some  history  of 
his  own.  He  was  regarded  at  the  post  as  an3rthing  but 
a  "  lady's  man."  Without  being  a  woman-hater,  as  some 
women  held,  he  was  not  a  woman-worshiper.  He  went 
but  seldom  in  societ^:  He  was  a  man  they  declared  to 
be  dangerous  because^  of  his  detrimental  views,  but  all 
the  more  was  he  worth  conquering  for  purposes  of  con- 
version. The  sight  of  him  riding  away  with  the  Queen 
of  Silver  Hill,  as  a  local  enthusiast  had  once  described 
her,  so  soon  after  the  most  mysterious  tragedy  Fort  Min- 
neconjou  had  ever  known,  was  a  thing  to  keep  every 
one  of  their  number  speculating  for  hours. 

Already  they  had  heard  that  she  had  expressed  an 
earnest  wish  to  see  and  speak  with  Kitty  Belden,  and 
that  she  had  gone  ungratified  because  it  was  learned 
that  Kitty  was  ill  and  confined  to  her  room.  "  Over- 
excited," said  the  doctor.  "  Overcome,"  said  some  of 
her  associates,  by  the  distressing  event  that  had  so  shocked 
the  entire  garrison.  Already  they  had  heard,  for  such 
news  travels  swiftly,  that  telegraphic  summons  to  his 
stricken  mother's  side  had  come  to  their  Adonis,  himself 
stricken  and  incapable  of  thought  or  action.  Already 
they  had  learned  that,  while  Crabbe  lay  housed  in  close 
arrest  and  Fox  was  gone  with  the  wide  frontier  to  :choose 
from,  a  third  person  originally  connected  with  the  crime 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  99 

had  been  replaced  in  the  eye  of  certain  suspicion  by  still 
another  third  as  yet  unnamed,  and  Colonel  Mack  was 
even  then  sending  forth  a  little  party  of  mounted  men 
to  follow  a  clue  furnished  by  Lieutenant  Gridley. 

No  sooner  was  parade  over,  and  the  officers  scattering 
to  their  quarters,  than  Mack  was  seen  to  turn  away  to 
the  administration  building  and  there,  accompanied  by 
the  ever  faithful  Briggs,  stood  giving  some  instructions 
to  a  sergeant  of  cavalr\^  who  had  dismounted  to  receive 
them,  while  his  detachment  of  four  remained  seated  in 
saddle  a  dozen  yards  away.  Hundreds  of  keen  eyes  all 
over  the  post  watched  that  little  party  as  it  left  the  quad- 
rangle and  took  the  back  road  through  the  valley  of  the 
Minneconjou  and  over  the  rolling  prairie  beyond,  bound 
obviously  for  that  lonely  station. 

"  This  mystery  is  just  making  me  down  sick,"  said 
Mrs.  Sparker,  a  lady  lavish  in  the  use  of  the  italic  in 
conversation,  "  and  if  it  isn't  settled  by  to-morrow 
night,  ril  take  to  my  bed,  too.  Has  anybody  seen  Kitty 
Belden?'' 

Nobody  in  the  party  at  Warren's,  at  least,  had  as  yet 
succeeded,  though  several  had  called,  perhaps  in  hopes 
of  seeing,  but  Dr.  Warren  had  been  implacable,  Mrs. 
Belden  vigilant,  and  the  gentle  little  patient  had  escaped 
the  infliction.     One  girl,  two  girls,  perhaps,  she  really 


100  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

wished  to  see  and  had  so  stated  to  her  mother,  but  the 
mother  counsel  had  in  this  case  prevailed.  "  If  you  see 
this  one  or  that,  how  can  you  refuse  to  see  Flo  Cullin 
or  any  of  these  younger  married  ladies  who  are  so  atten- 
tively inquisitive  ?  "  And  Kitty  had  the  sense  to  see  the 
point  and  to  refrain.  Minneconjou  had  quite  made  up 
its  mind  by  sunset  of  that  second  day  that  the  child  had 
lost  her  girlish  heart  to  Mr.  Langham,  and  was  pros- 
trated because  of  his  serious  condition.  It  was  natural 
enough.  She  was  at  a  most  impressionable  age,  and  he 
had  been  very  cordial,  very  kind  and  to  a  certain  extent 
attentive  to  her — attentive,  at  least,  in  the  way  of  letting 
her  ride  his  horses  and  even  occasionally  riding  with  her 
himself.  Whether  the  girl  was  in  love  with  him  or  not, 
she  had  been  so  shocked  and  distressed  by  the  details  of 
the  murderous  assault  that  it  was  a  mercy  to  put  her  to 
bed  and  out  of  the  way  of  prying  eyes. 

Naturally,  too,  if  Mrs.  Belden  denied  her  daughter  to  her 
one  or  two  intimates,  she  would  deny  her  to  a  comparative 
stranger  whom  she  neither  liked  nor  trusted,  and  rest  you 
sure  that  some  of  the  women,  dropping  in  to  inquire  how 
Kitty  was,  let  drop  the  bit  of  information  that  Mrs.  Bul- 
lard  was  at  the  post  and  that  "  Mrs.  Bullard  was  hoping 
to  see  Kitty  and  have  a  talk  with  her."  Mrs.  Belden  shut 
her  lips  when  the  project  was  mentioned,  and  would  not 


COMRADES   in;  ARMS  101 

gratify  her  caller  to  the  extei^t.- of.*  giving  v(3ipe;'to  her 
views  as  to  Mrs.  Bullard  ajid  Mrjs.  Bi'ill^rd^fi  [^p^pre^sed 
wish. 

"  She  hung  about  here  as  much  as  three  hours,"  said 
Mrs.  Sparker,  **  just  waiting,  I  suppose,  in  hopes  that 
something  might  occur  to  bring  you  out,  so  then  she 
could  ask  you  to  let  her  see  Kitty."  And  Mrs.  Sparker, 
the  one  moneyed  woman  of  Fort  Minneconjou,  was  noto- 
riously jealous  of  Mrs.  Bullard,  who,  with  much  less 
cash  at  her  command — for  Bullard's  allowance  was  not 
princely  as  once  had  been  his  gifts — contrived  to  utterly 
outshine  Mrs.  Sparker  in  the  elegance  of  her  toilets. 

But  even  Mrs.  Sparker's  pointed  references  evoked  no 
quotable  comment.  Mrs.  Belden  had  possibly  been 
warned  by  her  husband  to  let  no  word  escape  her  as  to 
Mrs.  Bullard,  for  in  this  crisis  of  affairs  the  least  harmful 
in  intent  might  well  became  a  prodig)^  of  accusation.  To 
the  chagrin  of  Mrs.  Sparker,  the  only  words  vouchsafed 
by  Mrs.  Belden  were:  "Then  Mrs.  Bullard  must  have 
been  very  late  for  dinner." 

"  Oh,  she  said  Mr.  Bullard  had  to  go  out  to  a  m.ine 
this  afternoon  and  wouldn't  be  back  until  late  at  night, 
and  she  was  too  sick  at  heart  to  eat.  Did  you  ever  hear 
of  so— so  brazen  a  woman?" 

And  even  that  tentative'  failed.     Mrs.  Belden  merely 


102  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

smiled  arsd  hoi.''edv  s;ome,body  had  given  I^Irs.  Bullard  a 
cui^  of-  test,'  whereat  Mrs.  Sharker  withdrew,  discomfited, 
and,  could  she  have  done  so,  would  have  dodged  the 
dames  she  had  so  recently  left  at  the  Warrens'  piazza; 
but  there  they  were  anxiously  awaiting  her  return  and 
eager  to  hear  what  Mrs.  Belden  had  to  say,  and  Mrs. 
Sparker  had  to  face  them  empty-mouthed  and  defeated 
or  else  to  invent,  and  inventions  at  Minneconjou  paid 
no  better  than  many  at  the  patent  office — it  was  too  easy 
to  trace  a  statement  to  its  source. 

"  She  just  won't  say  a  thing,"  said  Mrs.  Sparker. 
"  Her  husband's  doing,  I  suppose.  I'd  like  to  see  myself 
made  a  slave  of,  forbidden  to  speak  or  even  think/'  But 
there  were  those  among  her  hearers  who  sometimes 
wished  there  were  some  power  to  put  a  stopper  on  Mrs. 
Sparker's  tongue.  Night  came  down  on  Minneconjou 
with  no  woman  the  wiser  as  to  Mrs.  Bullard's  motive  in 
wishing  to  see  Kitty  Belden — no  woman  the  wiser  as  to 
Gridley's  object  in  securing  that  ride  with  Mrs.  Bullard 
alone. 

In  the  gloaming  now  gathering  over  the  still  and  far- 
spreading  valley,  the  forms  of  the  two  riders  had  been 
gradually  lost  to  view.  It  was  not  usual  for  eques- 
triennes to  take  the  ford  road.  The  longer  way  round 
was  the  shorter  way  home  with  dry  skirts,  for  even  so 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  103 

abbreviated  and  stylish  a  habit  as  Mrs.  Bullard's  would 
be  splashed  where  the  horses  plunged  through  breast  deep. 
Yet  the  watchers  saw  that  Gridley  and  his  fair  and  grace- 
ful companion  had  turned  from  the  main  road  and  taken 
the  bridle-path  to  the  southeast.  When  last  visible  they 
were  just  descending  the  incline  to  the  bed  of  the  stream, 
and  once  there,  and  beyond  the  vision  of  prying  eyes  at 
the  post,  it  would  seem  that  they  spent  some  little  time, 
ten  minutes,  perhaps,  for  the  fresh  hoofprints  were  very 
numerous  when  studied  in  the  morning.  The  horses  had 
evidently  stood  side  by  side  much  of  the  time,  then  gone 
scouting  about  the  edge  of  the  waters  and  all  around  a 
little  clump  of  willows  on  the  farther  shore,  the  clump 
from  which  the  first  shot  seemed  to  have  been  fired. 
Then,  at  long  lope  or  hand  gallop,  the  pair  had  speeded 
away  to  town.  At  nine  o'clock,  as  was  later  learned,  Mr. 
Gridley  put  up  the  major's  favorite  steed  at  the  customary 
stable  and  disappeared  for  nearly  two  hours,  then  re- 
turned, remounted,  and  galloped  back  to  Minneconjou, 
meeting  Bullard's  substantial  spring  wagon,  homeward 
bound  from  the  Baltimore  mine,  just  at  the  westward 
edge  of  town.  Bullard's  driver  mentioned  this  the 
following  day.  It  is  doubtful  if  Bullard  knew  it, 
for  the  night  was  dark  and  no  greetings  had  been  ex- 
changed. 


104  COMRADES    IN    ARMS 

The  Baltimore  lay  in  the  heart  of  the  eastward  spur 
of  the  Sagamore  Range,  some  eighteen  miles  northwest 
of  town.  There  were  other,  many  other,  mines  and 
some  few  mining  camps  and  settlements  along  that  pine- 
iprested  backbone.  There  were  cattle  ranches  and  a  stage 
station  or  two  in  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Belle  Fourche, 
thirty  miles  beyond  the  range.  It  was  somewhere  over 
in  that  direction  that  Fox  with  Champion  was  supposed 
to  have  gone,  and  it  was  believed  that  from  the  Belle 
Fourche  he  would  probably  continue  his  flight  northward 
beyond  the  breaks  of  the  Heecha  Wakpa — beyond  Deer's 
Ears  and  the  Bad  Land,  until  he  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  Northern  Pacific  somewhere  near  Medora.  Already 
the  telegraph  had  flashed  his  description  and  that  of 
Champion  to  the  Missouri,  thence  northward  to  Bis- 
marck, and,  long  days  before  Fox  could  hope  to  reach 
the  railway  many  a  deputy  sheriff  would  be  on  watch 
for  him.  Even  if  Fox  were  not  "wanted,"  the  horse  was. 
The  fame  of  the  splendid  'cross  country  hunter  and 
jumper  had  as  yet  spread  only  through  western  Nebraska 
and  South  Dakota  and  eastern  Wyoming,  but  nine  out 
of  ten  frontiersmen  would  see  at  a  glance  the  fine  points 
in  Fox's  mount,  and  though  the  English  pigskin  saddle 
could  call  forth  nothing  but  derision,  the  horse  would 
fetch  his  price  in  dollars   unless  acquired  by  the   less 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  105 

expensive  process  of  disposing  summarily  of  his  rider. 
This  could  be  so  readily  charged  to  the  Indians. 

Settled  on  their  reservations  in  the  Standing  Rock, 
Pine  Ridge,  and  the  Rosebud  regions,  hundreds  of  eager 
young  braves  even  now  sought  occasional  opportunity 
to  set  forth  on  hunting  expeditions,  with  or  without  the. 
consent  of  the  agent,  and  then  it  took  but  little  fire-water 
and  less  persuasion  on  part  of  cowboy  or  settler  to  start 
a  row.  The  Indian  on  a  tear  was  like  a  fire  at  a  fort — 
anything  missing  could  be  charged  thereto,  and  there  is 
no  point  on  which  the  cowboy  is  more  credulous  than  the 
culpability  of  the  Indian.  Hunting  parties  from  Stand- 
ing Rock  went  westward,  as  a  rule,  and  those  from  near 
the  Nebraska  line  northward,  giving  Silver  Hill  and  Fort 
Minneconjou  a  very  wide  berth.  But,  once  along  the 
head  waters  of  Owl  Creek  or  Grand  River  the  Sioux 
were  on  their  old  stamping  grounds  and  perfectly  at 
home.  Ogallalla  or  Brule,  Uncapapa  or  Minneconjou, 
they  knew  the  neighborhood  as  the  cat  knows  the  cellar, 
and  whensoever  they  saw  fit  to  revisit  the  scene  of  their 
old-time  glory,  the  rancher  with  a  hankering  for  a  neigh- 
bor's stock  or  blood  occasionally  arose  to  the  opportu- 
nity. No  frontiersman  would  suspect  a  fellow  exile  of 
any  crime  so  long  as  there  were  Indians  loose  upon  the 
land. 


106  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

And,  just  as  luck  would  have  it,  not  two  days  before 
the  sudden  disappearance  of  the  English  groom,  a  letter 
had  come  to  Colonel  Mack  saying  that  as  many  as  sixty 
young  men  from  Pine  Ridge  and  Rosebud  had  recently 
cut  away  from  the  reservations  and  gone  a-hunting 
beyond  the  Cheyenne.  *'  Keep  a  fatherly  eye  on  them,  and 
don't  let  them  get  into  trouble,"  said  the  agent,  and  Mack 
promised  that  he  would  do  so,  and  had  meant  to  keep  his 
promise  when  along  came  "  Old  Hardtack  "  to  inspect, 
and  then  this  miserable  business  about  Langham,  and 
between  the  two  Mack  forgot  all  about  the  Indians  and 
the  troop  of  cavalry  he  had  intended  sending  into  the 
Owl  Creek  country  by  way  of  keeping  the  peace.  And 
so  it  happened  that  there  was  no  one  to  oppose  any  white 
man  religiously  and  devoutly  disposed  to  stir  up  a  scrim- 
mage with  the  Sioux,  and  whisky  was  abundant  on  the 
ranges  this  bonny  month  of  June.  Fox  could  not  have 
chosen  a  better  time  to  bring  a  blooded  horse  into  the 
Bad  Lands — a  better  time  for  the  native  and  to  the 
.manner  born. 

Plentiful  as  were  the  wild  warriors  in  former  days, 
and  numerous  as  were  their  descendants  now  limited  to 
the  reservations,  only  a  few  of  the  once  noble  race  of 
red  men  could  be  found  about  the  Minneconjou  valley 
in  '97.    A  dozen  half-breeds  and  half  a  dozen  full-bloods. 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  107 

who  had  cast  aside  the  blanket  and  taken  to  the  cast-oflF 
clothing  of  the  white  brother,  were  hangers-on  about 
the  station  and  saloons  in  town,  but  contact  with  civil- 
ization had  robbed  the  aborigine  of  all  that  was  pic- 
turesque and  much  that  was  proper.  He  had  little  left 
to  recommend  him.  He  was  not  even  a  voter,  wherein 
he  lacked  the  value  of  thousands  of  imported  fellow  citi- 
zens whose  very  names  had  been  lost  and  who  were 
designated  and  known  in  mining  regions  far  to  the  east 
only  by  number.  Lazy,  shiftless,  yet  mildly  inoffensive, 
as  a  rule,  Silver  Hill's  contingent  of  semi-civilized  Sioux 
were  mainly  in  evidence  at  train  time  in  town,  and  at  no 
time  at  the  fort.  Uncle  Sam  suspected  his  wards  of  a 
propensity  to  steal,  and  warned  his  sentries  to  warn 
them  away.  Beg  they  could  and  would  wheresoever  they 
saw  possibility  of  return.  Work  of  any  kind,  save  one, 
they  would  not.  There  wasn't  one  of  their  number  who 
could  be  induced  to  weed  garden,  chop  wood,  curry  a 
horse,  or  carry  in  coal.  But,  send  him  into  the  hills  with 
a  roving  commission  to  hunt  for  game,  or  as  a  runner 
to  look  up  prospectors,  strayed  horses,  or  cattle,  and  he 
would  face  a  blizzard  to  earn  a  dime.  Time  was  when 
the  snows  hauled  down  Bullard's  wires  to  the  Baltimore, 
the  Calumet,  and  other  mining  and  lumbering  camps,  and 
he  took  to  sending  John  le  Gros,  Louis  Belles  Pierres, 


108  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

and  others  of  that  ilk,  bearers  of  dispatches  to  his 
weather-bound  employees,  generally  with  good  results. 
One  thing  led  to  another,  to  the  end  that  there  were  three 
or  four  of  these  unsavory  Mercuries  ever  within  call  of 
Bullard's  office,  ready  to  run  his  errands  to  the  recesses 
of  the  Black  Hills  in  quest  either  of  men  or  game.  They 
would  work  in  this  way  because  it  was  congenial,  and 
Bullard  would  work  them  in  this  way  because  it  was 
cheap.  The  man  said  to  be  worth  a  million  would  haggle 
with  a  bootblack  over  the  price  of  a  shine. 

Now  whatever  Mrs.  Bullard  might  have  thought  of  a 
Sioux  chief  in  all  the  paint,  pomp,  and  panoply  of  savage 
war,  she  had  no  use  whatever  for  a  Sioux  servitor  in 
foul-smelling  garb.  More  than  once  she  had  been  com- 
pelled to  eject  the  latter  from  her  kitchen  because  "  cook  " 
invariably  took  to  her  heels  and  fled  whimpering  to 
the  upper  regions  whenever  Big  Thunder  or  Smites- 
the-Bear,  familiarly  known  respectively  as  John  and  Joe, 
put  in  an  appearance.  Once,  it  was  told  at  the  fort  and 
among  her  few  associates  in  town,  she  had  actually  used 
a  broomstick  with  telling  effect  on  the  shoulders  of 
Smites-the-Bear,  who  had  come  in  drunk  and  refused  to 
go  forth  uncomforted  by  more  whisky.  It  is  never  good 
to  smite  the  red  man,  even  drunk  and  truculent,  for  when 
sobriety  returns  and  reason  resumes  its  sway,  he  remem- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  109 

bers,  and  his  dignity  has  suffered  outrage.  Colonel  Mack 
had  looked  concerned  when  told  of  this  episode,  and  Mr. 
Langham  had  remonstrated.  She  said  that  Mr.  BuUard 
said  more  and  worse  things  than  either  the  colonel  or  his 
subaltern,  but  without  shaking  her  resolve  to  renew  the 
lesson  should  John,  Joe,  or  any  one  of  their  set  venture 
to  repeat  the  performance.  Mrs.  Bullard  was  a  woman  of 
grace  and  refinement,  as  has  been  said,  yet  one  capable 
of  strenuous  deed  when  occasion  required.  The  "  Indian, 
His  Uses  and  Abuses,"  was  one  of  several  topics,  it  had 
begun  to  be  rum.ored,  on  which  she  and  her  husband 
could  not  agree  at  all. 

And  now,  since  it  has  been  admitted  that  Mrs.  Bullard 
could  cherish  antipathies,  it  is  time  to  announce  that  these 
were  not  confined  to  the  red  men.  For  reasons  of  her 
own,  and  mainly  because  she  believed  him  inimical  to 
her,  Mrs.  Amos  had  begun  to  feel  a  fervent  dislike  for 
Lieutenant  Jim  Gridley.  She  had  owned  it,  in  part,  to 
Langham,  but  excused  it  on  the  ground  that  she  instinc- 
tively felt  that  Gridley  had  attempted  to  warn  his  com- 
rade against  her.  It  was  something  Langham  could  not 
truthfully  deny,  yet  he  could  and  did  and  promptly,  too, 
assure  her  it  was  not  Mrs.  Bullard  whom  Gridley  dis- 
liked, it  was  Langham's  intimacy — no,  that  is  too  strong 
a  word— it  was  Langham's  attention  to  her  and  her  accept- 


110  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

ance  of  his  attentions  that  Gridley  had  so  positively 
assailed.  She  was  more  than  surprised,  therefore,  at 
Gridley's  seeking  her  out  to  show  her  attention  this  long 
June  evening.  She  was  more  than  surprised,  she  was 
startled,  when  he  named  the  object.  What  could  have 
prompted  him  to  turn  to  her  as  the  one  woman  capable 
of  throwing  light  on  this  nearly  deadly  assault  upon  his 
soldier  friend  and  comrade?  Mrs.  Bullard's  head  had 
drooped  upon  her  breast  in  the  effort  to  hide  her  pallor. 
She  was  startled  at  his  abrupt  announcement.  This  man, 
who  had  seemed  to  avoid  and  to  disapprove  of  her,  now 
appeared  gifted  with  the  power  of  reading  her  very 
thoughts.  She  knew  that  what  he  said  was  true.  She 
knew  there  was  one  woman  who  had  reason  to  believe 
in  the  guilt  of  some  other  man  than  those  already 
suspected.  She  was  not  unprepared  for  the  words  that 
followed : 

"  Mrs.  Bullard,  I  beg  your  pardon  in  advance  for  what 
I  have  to  say,  but  say  it  I  must.  You  believe,  and  your 
husband  believes,  that  suspicion  must  speedily  attach  to 
him."  She  lifted  her  head  with  a  shiver  as  of  cold,  yet 
the  air  was  still  warm,  the  pace  was  swift.  She  turned 
toward  him  a  face  from  which  all  vestige  of  color  had 
fled,  even  the  soft  lips  were  almost  livid.  There  was  agony 
—horror  in  her  dilated  eyes,  but  there  was  no  denial. 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  111 

"  Bear  with  me  a  moment,"  he  went  on.  *'  I  know  you 
but  slightly.  I  know  him  still  less,  but  I  saw  the  look 
you  gave  him  when  the  news  first  reached  you,  and  you 
best  know  why  you  should  suspect  him.  Then  I  saw  his 
face  after  you  had  driven  him  away.  So  sure  was  he 
that  suspicion  would  attach  to  him — so  terrified,  I  may 
say,  that  he  was  ready  to  do  anything  to  avert  it.  Do 
you  believe  Mr.  Crabbe  lost  his  Loyal  Legion  badge  in 
yonder  last  night  ? "  and  he  pointed  down  among  the 
sands  about  the  ford.  "  Do  you  not  know  someone  else 
lost  it  there — for  him  ?  "  Again  her  head  was  bowed  upon 
her  breast.  She  swayed  forward  over  the  pommel,  a  pic- 
ture of  grief  and  shame.  She  could  not  answer.  They 
had  reached  the  edge  of  the  bank  and  were  winding 
down  the  short  descent  to  the  broad  stream-bed.  The  wil- 
lows lay  directly  opposite,  not  fifty  yards  away.  He 
waited  until  once  again  they  were  on  level  ground,  then 
quietly  reached  over  and  took  her  rein. 

"  Let  us  wait  here  a  moment.  There  is  something  you 
should  see.  We  know  it  was  not  his  hand  that  fired  the 
shot,  for  he  was  there — at  the  dance,  but  you  believe, 
Mrs.  Bullard,  and  I  expect  to  prove  that  one  of  his  hench- 
men did  it  for  him." 


CHAPTER    VIII 

THE    TALE   OF   THE    TELEGRAMS. 

ONE  of  the  best  trailers  in  the  cavalry  was 
'the  sergeant  sent  out  by  Colonel  Mack  in 
charge  of  the  little  party  just  after  sunset 
parade.  Long  years  in  Arizona,  Wyoming,  and  Dakota 
in  the  old  campaigning  days  had  made  him  mas- 
ter of  much  that  only  the  Indian  is  supposed  to  know. 
Winsor,  his  name  was,  and  of  him  a  rival  sergeant  once 
had  said  "  he  could  trail  the  hind  fut  of  a  flea  on  a 
marble  flure,"  and  Winsor  had  been  chosen  at  Gridley's 
suggestion  to  follow  the  clue  last  discovered  of  all.  Grid- 
ley  had  found  it  among  the  sands  of  the  Minneconjou 
half  a  mile  southeast  of  the  post,  leading  from  the  rocks 
near  that  clump  of  willows.  It  appeared  again  in  places 
about  the  lonely  prairie.  It  was  lost  there  in  the  firm, 
elastic  sod,  but  it  was  dollars  to  doughnuts,  said  Gridley, 
it  would  be  found  again  somewhere  up  the  valley,  cross- 
ing to  the  north  bank  and  making  probably  for  the  mines. 
It  would  be  dark  by  the  time  the  party  reached  that 
out-of-the-way  siding,  but  watchers  at  the  post  saw  that 
Winsor  detached  two  of  his  men  and  sent  them  straight- 

112 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  113 

way  west,  up  stream  along  the  sandy  shores,  and  the 
colonel  knew  what  that  meant.  They  were  looking  for 
the  foot  tracks  described  by  Lieutenant  Gridley,  and  both 
they  and  the  sergeant  had  with  them  powerful  lanterns. 

It  was  while  Mack  was  still  gazing  after  his  scouts 
that  a  message  came  to  him  from  the  junior  surgeon,  Dr. 
Griscom.  Langham  was  awake,  semi-conscious,  yet  dazed, 
and  it  might  be  well  for  the  colonel  to  see  him  at  once. 

Never  stopping  to  remove  his  full-dress  uniform,  Mack 
went  forthwith,  found  Dr.  Warren  hastening  on  the  same 
mission  and  joined  forces  with  him.  **  We  ought  to  have 
some  one  of  his  friends  with  us,"  said  Warren,  "  and 
Gridley — er — has  gone  home  with " 

*'  Yes,  I  authorized  that,"  said  Mack,  seeing  the  doctor 
balk  at  what  inight  sound  like  gossip,  "  and  for  good  rea- 
son, I  believe.  Now,  Briggs  is  busy.  How  would  Belden 
do?" 

"  Best  man  I  know  of,"  was  the  prompt  answer,  so 
Mack  shouted  *'  Orderly  "  over  his  shoulder,  while  never 
checking  his  stride.  The  natty  soldier  on  duty  came  run- 
ning after  and  ranged  up  alongside  long  enough  to  receive 
the  message,  his  white-gloved  hand  never  quitting  the 
salute  until  he  turned.  "  My  compliments  to  Captain  Bel- 
den, and  say  I  desire  to  see  him  at  Langham's  quar- 
ters at  once,  and — tell  Mrs.  Mack  I  may  not  be  home  for 


114  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

an  hour.  Lucky  we  dined  this  evening  before  parade," 
he  added,  resuming  his  conversational  tone.  "Hardt — I 
mean  our  inspector,  will  need  nothing  but  a  hand  at  whist 
the  rest  of  the  evening." 

Together  they  turned  in  at  Langham's  gate,  many  an 
eye  following,  even  as  the  orderly  rang  at  Belden's  door. 
As  luck  would  have  it,  the  captain  was  at  that  moment 
seated  by  the  bedside  of  his  beloved  ''  little  girl,"  his  pet 
name  always  for  that  only  daughter.  He  had  been 
fondhng  her  hand  and  telling  her  the  while  how  many 
people  had  been  asking  for  her  during  the  afternoon. 
"  Here's  someone  else  now,"  he  added,  rising  and  going 
to  the  hall,  a  whimsical  grin  dawning  under  the  big  mus- 
tache, for  Belden,  who  said  so  little  about  the  vagaries 
of  his  neighbors,  saw  so  very  much.  A  servant  had  gone 
to  the  door,  and  the  orderly's  crisp  sentences  came  shoot- 
ing up  the  stairway,  distinctly  audible  on  the  second  floor. 
"  The  commanding  officer's  compliments  and  would  like 
to  see  the  captain  at  Lootn't  Langham's  at  once." 

Belden  turned.  The  instant  alarm  and  new  distress 
in  the  face  he  loved  went  right  to  his  heart.  "  Don't 
worry,  daughter  dear,"  he  murmured,  bending  over  to 
press  his  lips  to  her  hot  forehead.  ''  I'll  send  mother  to 
you  and  you  shall  know  in  a  few  minutes  what  it  means." 
For  answer  she  threw  her  arms  fondly,  clingingly  about 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  115 

his  neck  and  kissed  him  twice.  Then,  without  a  word, 
released  him  and  turned  her  face  to  the  wall.  Belden  met 
his  wife  at  the  front  steps.  She  had  seen  the  o-rderly 
from  Sparker's  window  and  hastened  over.  **  I  wish 
3-ou  would  stay  with  Kitty  a  little  while,"  he  simply  said. 
"  I  am  called  to  Langham's." 

"  Is  he  worse  ?  The  colonel  has  just  gone  there  with 
Dr.  Warren." 

''  I  will  send  w^ord,"  he  answered,  and  hurried  along. 

The  light  still  held,  though  faintly,  and  as  Belden 
passed  through  the  front  room  an  attendant  drew  back 
the  curtain  and  lifted  the  shade  at  the  bedroom  wnndow 
to  the  west.  Swathed  in  bandages,  Langham's  head  lay 
wearily  back  upon  the  pillow,  but  his  eyes,  open  and 
alert  at  last,  were  uplifted  to  Warren's  genial,  bearded 
face.  His  hand,  long,  slim,  and  almost  nerveless,  lay  in 
Warren's  cordial,  sustaining  clasp.  The  colonel  had  hung 
back  a  little.  It  was  best  that  the  doctor  should  first 
satisfy  himself  as  to  conditions,  and  apparently  the  doctor 
was  finding  encouragement.  At  all  events,  in  tone 
and  manner  he  was  giving  it  to  patient  and  to  visitors 
both. 

"  Here's  Belden,  too,"  he  was  saying,  as  the  captain 
entered,  and  Belden  drew  near  the  bed,  smiling  appro- 
priately, not  knowing  whether  he  would  be  welcome  or 


116  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

not.  Langham's  pallid  features  twisted  themselves  into 
the  ghost  of  a  grin. 

'*  Chair — for  the  captain,  Fox/'  he  feebly  spoke,  and 
the  attendant  quickly  shoved  one  forward,  then  busied 
himself  back  of  the  patient's  range  of  vision,  but  Lang- 
ham  had  seen. 

**  Where's  Fox?  "  he  queried.    "  I  want  some  tea." 

"  Out — riding,"  answered  Warren,  with  misleading 
truth ;  "  exercising  Champion." 

"  Champion?    Why,  he's — sold.    Both  of  *em." 

''  Yes,  I  know,"  said  the  doctor  hastily,  *'  but  not  yet 
called  for.     How  are  you  feeling — generally  ?  " 

"Queer.  Logy.  What's  happened,  anyhow?"  asked 
Langham,  the  big  eyes  wandering  heavily,  wonderingly 
from  face  to  face ;  all  three  striving  to  look  lively  and 
sympathetic. 

"  You  had  a  spill  down  at  the  fords.  Don't  you  remem- 
ber?" answered  Warren,  his  tone  still  brisk  and  cordial, 
but  his  scrutiny  unsparing. 

"  Fox  did,"  was  the  answer.  "  Didn't  I  tell  you?  Fox 
was  as  full  as  a Where  is  that  infernal  rascal,  any- 
how ? "  And  again  the  somber  eyes  lighted  up  with 
momentary  wrath  and  eagerness.  "  He  wasn't  riding 
Champion.  He  was  riding  a  plug  from  town,  and  the 
brute  stumbled  and  rolled  and  spilled  him — served  him 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  117 

jolly  well  right."'  Langham  passed  his  free  hand  over 
his  eyes.  Some  thought,  some  dim  memory  was  striv- 
ing for  recognition  and  utterance.     Warren  strove  to  aid. 

"  Fox  wasn't  hurt  and  you  were.  So  was  Gordon. 
Don't  you  remember?  " 

"  Gordon  hurt  ?  How  hurt  ?  I  guaranteed  him  sound, 
wind  and  limb." 

"  Wind  and  limb  are  all  right.  Don't  worry.  It  was 
a  shot  across  the  breast  that  must  have  stung  him  like 
the  mischief.  Don't  you  remember,  Langham  ?  He  nmst 
have  run  and  plunged,  for  you  evidently  lit  on  your  head — 
on  the  rocks,  too." 

"I  know,"  came  the  answer,  with  reviving  eagerness. 
"  I  know.  We  stopped  in  the  ford — to  water.  Both 
horses  were  drinking.  Then  came  a  flash  from  that 
clump  of  willows  up  on  the  little  point.  God,  how  he 
jumped!  Then  two  more,  close  together.  I  couldn't 
hold  him."  And  again  the  hand  came  up  wearily  at 
the  shadowy  retrospect.     "  How'd  I  get  home — walk.^" 

"  Carriage,"  was  the  sententious  answer.  "  Couldn't 
you  see  ?  Couldn't  you  hear — anything  to  give  us  a  clue  ? 
It  wasn't  Fox  ?  " 

*'Fox?  No!  Fox  wouldn't  shoot  at  me.  He  ran, 
though."  And  almost  a  chuckle  came  w4th  this.  "  Ran 
for  town,  I  thought." 


118  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

''  Before  the  other  two  shots?  "  asked  the  colonel,  bend- 
ing forward." 

"  Oh,  how  are  you,  colonel  ?  Pardon  my  not  rising. 
What's  the  matter  with  me,  anyhow,  doctor  ?  " 

**  A  spill,  as  I  told  you,  Langham.  You'll  be  all  right 
presently.  Only  you  must  be  patient  and  quiet.  We  won't 
bother  you  with  any  more  questions  just  now.  You  saw 
— nobody,  then  ?  " 

"Not  a  soul.  What  time  is  it?  Where  was  it?  Did 
Grid  lug  me  in?  Briggs  said  I  was  to  take  his  guard 
tour  this  morning." 

"  Hush,  man !  It  '11  be  a  week  before  you  take  any- 
thing but  rest  and  treatment.  And  I  want  you  to  go  to 
sleep  again — sleep  all  you  jean." 

"  Has  the  mail  come  ?  "  And  still  his  eyes  followed 
Warren's  every  movement. 

Mack  looked  apprehensively  toward  the  little  parlor. 
There  on  the  center  table  stood  a  packet  of  probably  a 
dozen  letters.  Warren,  too,  glanced  thither,  then  shook 
his  head  menacingly  at  the  post  commander.  "  Nothing 
but  circulars  or  business  letters,  Langham.  Yoit  don't 
care  to  see  them — now." 

"Nothing  from  home? — from  mother?"  demanded 
Langham  wistfully.     "  It's  four  days " 

"  Nothing  from — mother,  at  least.     The  mail's  not  in 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  119 

yet  to-night,  you  know.  Flyer's  late  again.  You'll  have 
'em  when  you  wake.  I  want  you  to  sleep  now — and — 
take  this."  A  brimming  teaspoon  was  held  to  the  pallid 
lips. 

"  It's  lOo  soon  to  hear  from  Billings/'  persisted  Lang- 
ham,  ''  but  mother — she  hasn't  been  well.  You  haven't 
let  her  know  about — this  ? "  He  suddenly  roused 
again. 

"  Not  a  v/ord,  lad,  but  I  shall  have  to  be  telling  unless 
you  can  be  quiet — and  sleep."  Warren  turned  as  he 
spoke  and  jerked  his  head  in  signal  to  the  others.  Mack 
and  Belden  tip-toed  into  the  parlor,  the  colonel  picking 
up  the  packet  and  hurriedly  glancing  over  the  super- 
scriptions. Two  letters  were  from  Langham's  home  and 
neither  was  addressed  in  the  singular  hand  affected  then 
by  certain  of  the  smart  set — the  hand  so  many  of  Lang- 
ham's  visitors  had  learned  to  know,  for  almost  every  day 
throughout  the  long,  reluctant  spring  had  brought  its 
missive  for  "  Mr.  William  Pitt  Berkely  Langham " 
straight  from  the  mother  heart.  It  was  significant,  indeed, 
that  now  there  should  be  other  letters  from  that  distant 
home — but  nothing  from  her. 

"  It  is  useless  to  question,"  said  Warren,  joining  them 
in  the  parlor.  "  He  knows  no  more  of  his  assailant  than 
do  you  or  I,  and  he's  not  yet  strong  enough  to  be  bur- 


120  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

dened  with  any  of  the  particulars.  I'm  almost  thankful 
his  mother  can  neither  write  nor  hear." 

"  He  knows,  or  says,  that  Fox  was  not  his  assailant — 
that  Fox  ran  at  the  first  shot,  or  his  horse  did  for  him," 
answered  Mack  decisively.  "  Fox  is  a  renegade  and 
horse  thief,  perhaps,  but  Blossom  barked  up  the  wrong 
tree.  Nor  do  I  feel  warranted  now  in  holding  Crabbe. 
My  officers  are  incensed  at  his  arrest,  bad  as  it  looked 
at  first.  I'm  only  waiting  for  Gridley,  and  news  from 
Winsor,  to  tell  him  so.  I  shall  take  the  sentries  off, 
anyhow." 

Belden^s  fine  face  brightened  at  that.  Crabbe  was  no 
favorite  of  his,  but  he  loved  his  regiment  and  the  honor 
of  his  cloth.  His  heart,  too,  was  beating  with  no  kindly 
feeling  for  Langham.  Fatherlike,  he  raged  in  spirit  over 
the  thought  that  his  little  girl,  his  darling,  had  learned  to 
look  upon  their  handsome  subaltern  with  far  too  favoring 
eyes,  and,  fatherlike,  he  reasoned  that  this  could  never 
have  been  had  not  Langham  sought  to  win  the  fresh, 
sweet  homage  of  her  maiden  heart.  In  public  he  would 
have  schooled  himself  to  greet  the  disturber  with  all  the 
greater  show  of  cordiality.  It  would  never  do  to  let  any- 
one, especially  Langham,  believe  that  Kitty  cared  for  him. 
Yet  the  father  knew  she  was  lying  there  awake,  anxious 
and  impatient  for  his  coming,  praying,  perhaps,  for  tidings 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  121 

of  the  man  who  had  won,  designedly  or  unwittingly,  so 
precious  a  place  in  her  regard.  Even  the  prospect  of  hear- 
ing something  worth  hearing  as  to  the  mission  of  Grid- 
ley — the  night  search  of  Winsor,  was  nothing  to  him  in 
comparison  with  the  pathetic,  silent  suffering  in  the  little 
face  he  loved.  There  was  nothing  more  he  could  do  at 
Langham's,  thought  he,  yet  the  colonel  clung  to  him 
and  wished  him  to  stay,  believing,  as  he  did,  that  Lang- 
ham  would  yet  speak  and  might  yet  say  something  to 
throw  light  upon  the  subject  that  engrossed  his  thoughts. 
Moreover,  Mack  had  no  desire  to  go  home.  Mrs.  Mack 
was  playing  his  hand  for  him  at  the  inspector's  game,  and 
he  knew  "  Old  Hardtack  "  would  expect  him  to  take  it  the 
moment  he  returned,  and  "  Hardtack  "  was  as  exacting  a 
partner  as  he  was  an  inspector,  volubly  critical  of  misplay 
or  inattention,  and  Mack  was  in  no  mood  for  whist. 
Belden  scribbled  a  few  words  to  his  wife,  bidding  her  tell 
Kitty  that  Mr.  Langham  had  been  awake,  talking 
rationally,  and  was  evidently  on  the  mend.  Other  mat- 
ters were  now  coming  up  and  the  colonel  would  detain 
him  a  while.  The  colonel's  orderly  took  the  note,  while 
the  three  officers,  bidding  the  attendant  warn  them  if  Mr. 
Langham  began  talking  again,  betook  themselves  to  the 
gathering  darkness  of  the  piazza. 

It  was  then  nearly  nine.     Over  across  the  broad  level 


122  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

of  the  parade  the  Hght  streamed  from  the  windows  and 
hallways  of  the  roomy  barracks.  The  trill  of  the  pic- 
colo, the  tinkle  of  mandolin  and  guitar,  and  the  cheery 
voices  of  the  men  came  wafting  on  the  soft,  southerly 
breeze.  Along  the  line  of  piazzas  at  the  officers'  quarters 
the  doors  stood  invitingly  open,  and  many  a  group  was 
gathered — fair  women  and  brave  men — chatting  softly 
over  the  events  of  the  day.  Another  dance,  informal, 
would  have  been  on  the  evening  programme,  but  for  the 
wretched  affair  that  so  abruptly  ended  the  hop  the 
bygone  night.  The  band  was  having  an  appreciated 
rest — one  that,  an  unusual  thing,  it  really  deserved.  Every 
now  and  then  some  young  couple  would  come  sauntering 
down  the  row,  and  presently,  as  it  became  known  that 
three  wise  men  were  seated  in  earnest  and  confidential 
iconference  on  Langham's  porch,  others,  elders,  too,  took 
to  promenading,  and,  to  Mack's  disgust,  stopping  to  ask 
questions  at  the  gate.  He  was  in  the  midst  of  a  recital 
to  Warren  and  the  captain  of  such  of  Langham's  affairs 
as,  without  violating  sacred  confidences,  he  felt  him- 
self impelled  to  give  to  them.  Interruptions  were  there- 
fore annoying,  and  when  annoyed  Mack  was  prone 
to  say  things  not  attuned  to  pious  ears.  When  the  fourth 
couple  had  stopped  and  asked  the  same  question  Mack 
opened  the  batteries  of  expletive  the  moment  he  thought 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  US 

the  disturbers  beyond  earshot,  and  wound  up  by  bidding 
the  orderly  *'  Stand  there  at  the  gate  and  anybody  that 
asks  about  Mr.  Langham,  say  he's  better  in  every  way 
and  trying  to  get  to  sleep  if  they'll  only  let  him,"  then 
whirled  again  on  Warren  and  Belden,  his  silent  auditors. 

"  He  showed  me  the  lawyer's  letters  explaining  how 
mistaken  his  mother  had  been  as  to  certain  investments, 
explaining  in  detail  how  very  much  she  had  lost  in  the 
shrinkage  of  certain  securities,  and  how  impossible  it 
would  be  for  her  to  meet  certain  payments,  including 
several  bills  of  his,  until  the  next  interest  was  paid ;  then 
the  tailors  and  tradesmen,  etc.,  would  be  settled  with  in 
full.  But  what  made  it  rough  on  Langham  was  that  the 
lawyer  had  promised  practically  the  same  thing  last  No- 
vember, and  there  wasn't  any  interest  worth  mentioning 
forthcoming.  That's  how  he  happened  to  be  so  much  and 
so  suddenly,  one  might  say,  in  debt.  It  really  was  no 
fault  of  his,  and  that's  why  I  stood  up  for  him.  The  thing 
weighed  heavily  upon  his  spirits,  and  Briggs  said  he  was 
trying  to  sell  his  horses.  Now  that  he's  down,  I  suppose 
he'll  get  some  more  kicks.  Then,  though  I've  tried  to 
explain  matters  to  '  Old  Hardtack,'  I  mean — well,  we  all 

call  him  '  Hardtack  ' 1  shoudn't  be  surprised  if  he 

recommended  court-martial.     It's  like  him." 

An  orderly  trumpeter,  hurrying  down  the  sidewalk, 


124  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

turned  in  at  Langham's  gate  and  came  straightway  up 
the  steps.  *'  A  telegram  for  Lootn't  Langham,  sir/'  said 
he,  in  response  to  a  question. 

"  Let  me  have  it,"  said  Mack,  and  then  began  fingering 
experimentally  at  the  closed  envelope.  "  It's  from  his 
home,  I  am  certain,"  said  Mack,  "  and  perhaps  about  his 
mother.     He  can't  see  it,  can  he,  doctor  ?  " 

Warren  gravely  shook  his  head.  "  Gridley  opened 
one  that  came  this  morning,"  said  he,  "  and  looked  mighty 
grave  over  it,  yet  told  me  it  was  not  about  the  mother — 
at  least  about  her  illness." 

"Then  this  one  is  more  apt  to  refer  to  that,"  said 
Mack,  looking  from  one  to  the  other  of  his  counselors. 
He  needed  to  have  them  suggest  opening  it,  but  neither 
spoke.  "  It  may  be  late  before  Gridley  returns  and  per- 
haps— it  has  something  Langham  should  know  to-night." 
And  still  neither  officer  hazarded  a  remark.  "  What  say 
you,  Warren?  The  adjutant  general  may  think  it  my 
business  to  send  him — ship  him — east  if  he  is  too  ill  to 
take  care  of  himself.    Shouldn't  I  open  this  ?  " 

"  Possibly,"  said  Warren,  though  without  conviction. 
Belden  held  his  peace.  The  attendant  came  tip-toeing 
quickly  to  the  door  and  Warren  popped  up  out  of  his 
chair. 

"  He's   talking   wildlike,   sir ;   maybe   only   mumbling 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  125 

in  his  sleep,"  but  Warren  waited  to  hear  no  more.  A 
dozen  strides  took  him  to  the  presence  of  his  patient. 
There  he  bent  and  Hstened.  One  moment  and  up  went 
his  hand  in  imperious  gesture,  warning  the  attendant  out 
of  the  room. 

It  was  nearly  half  an  hour  before  the  doctor  reappeared 
upon  the  piazza,  looking  weary.  Hypodermics  had  finally 
taken  effect  and  Langham  was  babbling  no  more.  The 
attendant  was  once  again  in  his  easy  rocker  by  the  bed- 
side. The  colonel  and  Belden,  reinforced  now  by  Briggs, 
were  awaiting  the  result  when  Warren  rejoined  them. 
But  now  the  telegram  was  open  in  the  colonel's  hand, 
and  Briggs  had  brought  another.  Three  grave  faces  were 
these  that  looked  solemnly  into  the  doctor's,  and  the  doc- 
tor's that  returned  their  gaze  was  to  the  full  as  grave. 
Mack  was  the  first  to  speak : 

"  Any — light  on  the  matter  ?  " 

Warren  again  slowly  shook  his  head.  "  He  was  flighty 
and — talking  about  other  affairs — money  affairs." 

Mack  reflected  a  moment.  "  Now  let  this  be  distinctly 
understood,"  said  he  presently.  "I  am  acting  in  this  mat- 
ter as  I  should  want  any  other  man  in  my  place  to  act 
toward  my  son,  if  I  had  one  situated  as  is  Langham — 
unable  to  help  himself.  I  assume  we  four  are  all  his 
friends."     There  was  at  least  no  dissent.     "  I  shall  go 


126  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

further  and  say  that,  though  it  may  be  that  Langham  has 
not  honored  me  with  his  entire  confidence,  I  stand  by  my 
faith  in  his  integrity,  even  though  I  don't  fathom  or  un- 
derstand this." 

Holding  the  paper  in  the  stream  of  light  from  the  hall- 
way he  read  in  undertone : 

New  York,  22d. 
As  your  mother's  agent,  for  reasons  stated,  I  must  decline  to 
honor  drafts.  Forbes    Walton. 

The  name  "  Forbes  Walton  "  as  signature  was  strange 
to  all  but  Mack.    ''  The  lawyer  I  spoke  of,"  said  he. 

Then  the  colonel  took  from  the  hand  of  his  adjutant 

the  second  dispatch.     It  was  already  open.     This,  too,  he 

held  to  the  light  and  read : 

Billings,  22d,  7  P.  M. 
After  full  consideration  Mr.  Shafto  feels  compelled  to  decline 
proposed  arrangement.  Pyne. 

Warren  looked  up  quickly.  "  Pyne  ?  Then  Murray 
was  right  in  one  way,  and  the  sheriff  wrong." 

"  Yes,"  said  Mack,  "  but  that's  of  minor  consequence. 
The  question  is,  how  am  I  to  help  this  poor  lad  now, 
with  Hard — with  the  inspector  general  and  the  adjutant 
general  both  insistent  ?  How  on  earth  did  he  get  in  such 
a  financial  hole?  How  on  earth  are  we  to  get  him  out 
of  it?  They  say  two  thousand  dollars  won't  begin  to 
do  it." 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  127 

Warren  was  silent.  .He  was  thinking  of  the  words  poor 
Langham  had  let  fall  in  the  torment  of  his  dreamful  sleep 
or  delirium — words  that,  though  broken  and  disconnected, 
told  a  wretched  tale,  words  the  doctor  could  not  betray 
even  to  these  his  friends,  but  that  buzzed  hatefully  in  his 
ears,  robbing  him  that  night  of  hours  of  sleep,  even  after 
his  fretful  patient  had  dozed  restfully  long  past  twelve — ■ 
words  that  other  ears,  it  seemed,  had  already  heard,  that 
other  lips  had  already  repeated,  and  that  must  soon  be 
known  to  many  another  soul,  to  the  end  that  Warren's 
professional  reticence  would  be  all  in  vain.  "  I  can't  take 
it.  I  won't.  I  wouldn't  touch  it  if  it  zvere  your  money, 
but  it's  his — his  money,  and  I'm  the  last  man  he  would 
help." 

Gridley  knew  of  them  wiien  at  midnight,  with  sad,  stem 
face  he  came  to  his  comrade's  bedside  and  looked  sor- 
rowfully down  upon  the  sleeping  man. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   TALE  OF   THE   KNIGHT, 

A  MAN  with  a  history,  as  has  been  said,  was 
Lieutenant  Jim  Gridley,  but  who  at  Minneconjou 
knew  that  hIstor>^?  So  far  as  his  army  life  was 
concerned  Mr.  Gridley  had  nothing  to  conceal.  Every- 
body knew  that.  He  was  a  "  ranker,"  and  a  good  one. 
He  had  turned  up  in  a  cavalry  regiment  serving  in  Ari- 
zona :n  days  when  Geronimo,  with  a  handful  of  Apaches, 
was  providing  entertainment  for  a  whole  brigade.  James 
Gridley  was  the  name  he  gave  the  adjutant  to  whom  he 
applied  for  enlistment.  In  ph>'^ique  he  was  sound  and 
tough  as  hickory.  In  character  he  might  be  tough,  and 
by  no  means  sound.  He  "  hadn't  any  character,  hadnt 
any  references,  didn't  know  anybody,"  said  the  adjutant 
to  his  commanding  officer,  and  yet  the  enlistment  had 
been  consummated  without  delay,  for  that  adjutant  knew 
his  business,  and  thought  he  knew  men.  Gridley  left 
some  personal  luggage  in  the  hands  of  a  hardware  and 
general  merchandise  shopkeeper  in  Tucson;  was  sworn 
in  one  evening,  and  started  for  the  Sierra  Madre  and  the 
Mexican  line  the  next    Old  hands  sought  to  chaff  and 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  129 

new  hands  to  cultivate  him.  He  took  everything  that 
came  without  protest  or  petulance:  gave  neither  "back 
talk  "  nor  confidence ;  stood  the  wear  and  tear  and  hard- 
ship of  the  campaign  without  turning  a  hair ;  surprised  the 
sergeants  by  the  ease  with  which  he  mastered  the  tricks 
of  the  trade,  and  surprised  nobody,  by  the  time  they 
got  into  a  real  scrimmage  with  the  hidden  foe,  by  his 
cool,  quiet,  business-like,  matter-of-course  courage.  The 
troop,  from  captain  down  to  boy  trumpeter,  had-  learned 
to  look  upon  him  by  the  end  of  the  fourth  month  as  one 
of  their  most  reliable  men.  It  was  six  months  before  he 
saw  Tucson  again.  The  troop  had  a  celebration  in  honor 
of  the  close  of  the  campaign,  a  jubilee  that  resulted  in 
the  breaking  of  much  crockery  and  a  few  corporals.  It 
was  contrary  to  the  tenets  of  the  cavalry  to  put  chevrons 
on  a  first-year  blouse,  but  in  the  case  of  Trooper  Gridley 
there  were  but  few  growlers.  He  accepted  his  appoint- 
ment as  he  did  everything  else,  without  apparent  elation 
or  depression.  He  did  what  the  troop  considered  a  re- 
markable thing — "  set  up  the  beer  " — a  bulging  half  bar- 
rel brought  in  refrigerator  car  to  Tucson  ;  invited  all  hands 
to  partake,  and  never  swallowed  so  much  as  a  drop.  He 
said  he  was  a  teetotaller  for  the  time  being,  but  would 
never  impose  his  views  on  those  who  might  differ  with 
him. 


180  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

He  did  another  thing  that  tickled  the  troop.  The 
adjutant  offered  him  a  soft  berth  at  regimental  head- 
quarters— a  clerkship,  ease,  comfort — no  stables,  guard, 
escort,  or  picket  duty — no  climbing  and  thirsting  through 
mountain  and  desert,  and  Corporal  Gridley  begged  the 
adjutant's  leave  to  remain  with  the  troop.  More  hard 
work,  campaigning,  and  fighting  followed.  Gridley  got 
his  sergeant's  chevrons  before  he  had  been  a  year  on  the 
border,  and  a  recommendation  for  the  medal  of  honor 
before  he  had  been  six  months  a  sergeant.  It  was  a  curi- 
ous thing  about  that  recommendation.  Gridley,  with  three 
troopers,  two  of  them  wounded,  whipped  off  a  dozen 
Apaches  and  stood  a  siege  of  thirty-two  hours  while  con- 
voying a  small  pack  train  to  the  command  at  the  front. 
He  had  risked  his  own  life  lugging  a  broken-legged  packer 
into  shelter  among  the  rocks.  Captain,  colonel,  and  com- 
manding general  in  the  field  concurred  in  the  recom- 
mendation, but  affidavits  from  witnesses  were  called  for 
long  after,  and  couldn't  be  furnished  because  one  had 
deserted  and  two  were  dead.  The  medal,  conferred  as  a 
result  of  that  episode,  finally  appeared  on  the  manly 
breast  of  an  officer  who  hadn't  been  under  fire  at  all,  but 
was  fortified  with  affidavits  to  prove  that  he  had  displayed 
much  zeal  in  sending  relief  to  the  beleaguered  party.  The 
cavalry  swore;  but,  being  far  out  on  the  frontier,  could 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  131 

not  successfully  compete  with  candidates  at  Washington. 
They  couldn't  get  the  medal  for  their  comrade,  so  they 
started  in  with  another  year  to  get  him  a  commission, 
and  in  this,  after  one  hitch,  they  succeeded.  Sergeant 
Gridley,  being  required  by  his  colonel  to  state  whether  he 
had  wife  or  child,  wrote :  "  I  have  had  both.  I  now  have 
neither." 

This  "  hung  up  "  the  -nomination  a  few  months  longer, 
but  by  that  time  he  had  in  the  same  matter-of-course  way 
won  further  and  even  higher  recommendations.  It  then 
transpired  that  his  child  was  dead,  that  his  wife  had  de- 
serted, that  he  had  heard  nothing  of  or  from  her  for 
nearly  three  years,  and  Sergeant  Gridley  was  ordered  up 
for  examination  forthwith.  It  further  transpired  then 
and  there  that  he  knew  more  mathematics  and  history 
than  did  some  of  his  examiners.  He  was  commissioned 
in  the  infantry ;  succeeded  in  effecting  a  transfer  into  the 
cavalry,  and  before  he  had  entered  on  his  second  year  as 
a  lieutenant  had  won  an  enviable  name — that  of  James 
the  Silent. 

And  now,  the  oldest  man  of  his  grade  in  the  regiment, 
if  not  in  the  service,  he  bade  fair  before  long  to  be  known 
as  the  wisest.  Never  telling  all  that  he  knew,  Jim  Grid- 
ley  knew  all  that  he  told.  "  If  Gridley  says  so,  it's  set- 
tle<i,"  was  the  regimental  estimate  by  the  time  he  got  his 


132  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

first  lieutenantcy.  They  all  had  faith  both  in  his  grit 
and  his  integrity,  and  that  said,  there  was  little  left 
to  add 

For,  as  an  acquisition  to  the  mess  or  to  garrison  society 
Gridley  was  a  failure.  He  did  not  talk,  drink,  play  cards 
or  billiards.  He  smoked  corncob  pipes  on  his  own  piazza ; 
read  some  hours  every  evening;  spent  many  an  hour  in 
saddle,  and  never  a  cent  at  the  store.  He  had  the  simplest 
outfit  imaginable  in  the  way  of  clothing  and  household 
furniture.  He  had  always  one  suit  of  uniform,  dress  and 
undress,  that  was  in  immaculate  condition,  but  he  seldom 
wore  it.  He  could  not  be  lured  into  semi-feminine  games 
like  croquet  or  tennis,  but  he  was  a  famous  coach  at  base- 
ball, and  the  cavalry  nine,  with  Mr.  Gridley  as  captain 
and  shortstop,  won  enviable  distinction  in  the  West,  and 
prizes  wherever  they  went.  Women  were  wont  to  say 
this  showed  his  humble  origin,  but  the  men,  more  demo- 
cratic, thought  less  of  his  antecedents  than  his  achieve- 
ments. There  wasn't  an  officer  at  Minneconjou,  after  a 
few  experiences,  to  lock  horns  with  Gridley  in  matters 
of  science  or  history.  He  was  a  reader  to  some  purpose. 
He  wasted  neither  time  nor  money.  Whatever  his  past, 
he  was  making  good  his  present  and  his  future.  Even 
the  chaplain,  despite  the  fact  that  Gridley  never  went  to 
church  or  prayer  meeting,  but  was  found  doing  helpful 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  133 

things  among  the  humble  about  the  post,  declared  that 
Gridley  had  more  good  in  him  than  doctrine. 

Nor  had  Gridley  seemed  to  "  take  '^  at  first  to  Lang- 
harrt  He  rarely  entered  his  quarters.  He  never  attended 
his  teas,  but  they  rode  together,  and  explored  the  range 
to  the  north  and  the  rolling  divide  to  the  south.  Lang- 
ham  was  so  new  to  the  West  that  all  this  was  a  revela- 
tion to  him.  They  were  both  fine  horsemen,  though  Grid- 
ley  owned  but  one  charger,  a  serviceable  fellow  like  him- 
self, and  no  great  beauty.  He  enjoyed  his  gallops  with 
Langham,  for  he  loved  to  watch  the  magnificent  action 
of  Gordon  and  the  lissome  grace  of  his  rider.  He  had 
been  much  with  Langham  before  the  advent  of  Mrs. 
Bullard  as  a  rival,  but  when  that  became  an  established 
fact,  though  the  rides  together  became  rare,  the  days  in 
which  Gridley  did  not  see  and  talk  with  Langham  were 
rarer  still.  He,  who  so  housed  himself  with  his  pipe  and 
book  in  the  long  evenings,  and  whose  light  burned  often 
until  twelve,  and  who  so  rarely  entered  the  quarters  of 
comrade  officers,  now  dropped  in  on  Langham  almost 
every  night.  He  seemed  to  know  the  very  hour  at  which 
his  new-found  friend  might  be  expected  home. 

And  this  had  been  the  status  of  aflfairs  at  the  opening 
of  our  story.  The  cause  of  Crabbe  and  Sparker,  Lang- 
ham-haters  both,  bad  never  had  so  staggering  a  blow  as 


134»  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

when  Jim  Gridley,  James  the  Silent,  turned  on  them  with 
his    amazing   and    most   unlooked-for    defiance :    "  My 
friend  spoke  the  truth,  Captain  Sparker,  and  you  know  it. 
I'm  with  him  if  Mr.  Crabbe  has  anything  further  to  say." 
That  eventful  afternoon  troop  duties  and  the  inspec- 
tion occupied  much  of  Gridley's  time,  but  early  in  the 
evening  he  had  been  again  with  Langham;  had  heard 
with  approval  that  Langham  would  not  attend  the  dance, 
and   in   silence   that   Langham   must   meet   the   belated 
"  Flyer."     He  knew  it  could  not  be  to  meet  Mrs.  Bul- 
lard,  for  she  was  here  at  the  post.    He  had  reason  to  be- 
lieve it  was  to  meet  certain  old-time  acquaintances  and 
with  a  view  to  business,  for  Langham  had  told  him  some- 
thing of  his  hopes  and  plans.     He  had  seen  Langham 
started,  and  had  then  gone  to  his  lonely  quarters  to  think 
and  read.    It  was  his  detail  as  officer  of  the  guard  for  the 
morrow,  but  he  was  temporarily  commanding  his  troop. 
It  would  be  just  like  "  Old  Hardtack  "  to  order  the  cavalry 
squadron  out  for  inspection  or  drill  or  in  field  rig  before 
finishing  the  infantry,  and  Briggs,  for  this  reason,  had 
agreed  to  let  Langham  take  his  tour.    It  would  be  easier 
doing  officer  of  the  guard  duty  than  "trapesing"  all 
day   all  round  afoot  on  endless  drills  or  exercises.     So, 
even  though  Langham  had  to  be  out  half  the  night,  as 
he  said,  it  would  make  no  great  difference  as  to  his  duties 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  135 

for  the  coming  day.  Not  before  twelve  did  he  expect 
Langham  back.  He  was  restless,  anxious,  worried — 
gravely  worried — about  Langham  and  his  various 
affairs,  and  finally,  having  heard  running  footfalls  past 
the  front  of  the  quarters,  and  what  he  thought  was  a 
faint,  distant  shout  for  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  he 
finally  threw  down  his  Carlyle,  took  his  forage  cap  and 
started  across  the  road  toward  the  brilliant  lights  of  the 
ballroom.  He  vaguely  wished  to  see  how  she  looked — 
how  she  was  enjoying  herself  with  Langham  away.  He 
saw  one  or  two  shadowy  forms  hastening  toward  the 
eastward  front,  and  wondered  what  was  up.  He  noticed 
some  little  commotion  on  the  steps  and  piazza  of  the 
assembly  hall.  He  saw  Bullard's  agitated  face,  and  then 
saw  and  heard  her.  He  turned  and  ran  for  the  fords, 
but  the  carriage  passed  him  by.  He  reached  the  scene 
just  as  the  carriage  started  back  with  Langham's  sense- 
less head  on  the  doctor's  shoulder.  He  made  his  way  to 
Langham's  quarters,  and  there,  silent,  alert,  helpful,  he 
spent  much  of  the  night  at  his  comrade's  bedside,  think- 
ing, thinking.  He  had  slept  hardly  an  hour  before  start- 
ing forth  on  the  exploration  that  had  been  so  pregnant 
with  result.  Then  came  his  resolution  to  carry  his  theo- 
ries straight  to  her — to  the  woman  whose  coquetry,  folly, 
vanity,  whatsoever  it  might  be,  had,  as  he  believed,  led 


186  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

up  to  the  catastrophe.  He  had  gone  with  her  to  rebuke, 
perhaps  even  to  accuse.  He  had  shown  her  certain  foot- 
prints in  the  sands  about  the  willows,  footprints  that  dif- 
fered perceptibly  from  the  dozen  others  by  which  the 
sands,  even  on  the  south  bank,  were  trampled.  He  had 
escorted  her  home ;  lifted  her  from  saddle,  and  left  her  at 
the  portal,  and  then,  with  his  faculties  dazed  and  bewil- 
dered, had  galloped  back  to  the  post  to  another  night  of 
vigil  and  harassing  thought,  marveling  much  over  what 
he  had  seen  and  heard,  and  cudgeling  his  brain  for 
explanation. 

It  had  not  helped  matters  that  Major  Baker  was  still 
up  and  awaiting  his  return,  ostensibly  to  see  that  Ivanhoe 
was  carefully  rubbed  down  and  safely  stalled,  but  mainly 
to  seek  for  further  information.  Baker  had  been  grow- 
ing more  miserable  with  each  successive  hour,  as  little 
by  little  he  felt  the  conviction  gaining  ground  that  his 
public  accusation  of  Crabbe  was  indefensible,  if,  indeed, 
the  suspicion  were  not  utterly  unjust.  A  good  soldier, 
ordinarily,  was  Baker,  and  one  tenacious  of  his  preroga- 
tive as  squadron  commander.  Moreover,  he  liked  and 
respected  Mack,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  colonel  split 
the  squadron  in  two  for  parade  purposes  in  order  to 
make  his  line  look  symmetrical,  or,  as  some  of  the  troop- 
ers  would   have   it,   "  to   beautify   his   flanks."     Baker 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  137 

couldn't  bear  Sparker,  however,  and  spoke  of  him  as  a 
snob,  and  Baker  cordially  disapproved  of  Crabbe,  whom 
he  declared  a  sycophant  and  a  mere  tool  of  his  captain. 
Verbal  tiffs  between  them  had  been  frequent  and  inde- 
cisive, for  Baker  lacked  wisdom  even  as  his  opponents 
lacked  wit.  Mess  life  at  Minneconjou  had  been  dis- 
turbed as  a  consequence,  and  when  at  last  Baker  found 
himself  in  possession,  as  he  thought,  of  tremendous  evi- 
dence against  the  junior,  at  a  most  critical  time  he  had 
sprung  his  trap,  remorseless  and  without  thought  of  his 
superior— -the  very  thing  he  would  have  most  resented 
and  rebuked  had  it  happened  to  himself. 

No  wonder  Baker  couldn't  sleep  and  was  growing 
gray  and  haggard,  but  the  care  in  his  aging  face  was 
barely  the  shadow  of  what,  in  surprise  and  concern,  he 
saw  in  Gridley's  troubled  eyes.  Without  a  word  Gridley 
had  dismounted;  patted  Ivanhoe's  arching  neck,  and 
turned  him  over  to  the  waiting  trooper,  then,  briefly  mo- 
tioning with  Langham's  crop  toward  the  open  door,  fol- 
lowed his  senior  to  the  little  sitting  room,  sank  upon  the 
nearest  barrack  chair,  and  began  pulling  off  Langham's 
steel  spurs.  Baker  waited,  charging  a  corncob  pipe  the 
while.  He  knew  Gridley's  habit  of  saying  nothing  until 
he  was  ready.  The  spurs  disposed  of,  Gridley  stood  erect ; 
turned  up  the  dimly-burning  student  lamp,  and  placed 


138  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

himself  with  his  back  to  the  mantel,  a  large  photograph 
of  Langham  in  his  latest  and  nattiest  uniform  peering 
over  his  left  shoulder. 

For  the  life  of  him  Baker  couldn't  help  thinking  of 
Mrs.  Sparker's  reference  to  the  two  oddly  assorted 
friends  as  "  Beauty  and  the  Beast."  Never  a  beauty 
even  in  his  trimmest  regimentals,  though  a  forceful  pic- 
ture of  a  rugged,  forceful  man,  Jim  Gridley  looked 
almost  uncouth  in  a  civilian  sack  suit  of  the  fashion  of 
four  years  back  and  two  sizes  too  snug  for  him.  It  was 
a  "  hand-me-down,"  at  best.  Gridley  said  he  had  no 
cash  to  spare  on  custom-made  "  cits,"  and  there  he  stood 
glaring  at  Baker  from  underneath  his  shaggy  eyebrows 
until  the  senior  grew  fidgety  and  asked : 

"  Well,  what  have  you  found  ?  " 

"  I've  found,"  said  Gridley    slowly,  "  a  phenomenon." 

"  Well — er — how  ?  "  said  Baker,  not  quite  sure  in  his 
mind  as  to  what  phenomenon  might  mean. 

"  I've  found  a  wise  woman  where  I  looked  for — a 
wanton.    This  is  strictly  between  ourselves." 

"How  so?" 

"  I've  been  blaming  her  for  leading  Langham  into 
mischief.  She's  been  trying  to  lead  him  out.  He  refused 
her  aid,  or  her  husband's,  despite  the  fact  that  it  was 
through  her  he  learned  the  full  extent  of  his  liabilities. 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  139 

Bills  and  paper  of  his  have  been  sent  to  Bullard's  bank 
for  collection.  This  he  knew.  What  he  does  not  know 
is  that  his  mother's  legal  adviser  and  agent  is  a  damned 
scoundrel,  and  that  she  is  desperately  ill.  He  ought  to 
be  spinning  east  of  Chicago  now'' 

Baker  was  silent.  This  was  all  very  interesting,  but 
what  was  uppermost  in  his  mind,  and  what,  in  the  sel- 
fishness of  suffering  he  thought  should  be  uppermost  in 
Gridley's,  was  the  question.  Who  waylaid  Langham? 
Gridley  had  gone  forth  full  of  that  investigation,  full  of 
promise  to  prove  that  the  miscreant  was  not  Fox,  that 
the  roster  of  the  suspected  had  narrowed  to  one,  and  that 
one  Crabbe,  or  some  agent  of  Crabbe.  For  what  else  had 
Baker  lent  Ivanhoe?  And  now  Gridley  was  back,  think- 
ing nothing,  apparently,  about  the  criminal  or  of  his 
squadron  commander's  troubles ;  thinking  only  of  the 
victim  and  the  victim's  fair  friend  turned  guardian  angel. 
Baker  waxed  impatient. 

"  What  I  hoped  you'd  have  to  tell  me  was  something 
about  the — msytery.  Something  either  to  clinch  it  on 
Crabbe  or  release  him.  You're  full  of  Langham's  affairs, 
and  Fm  naturally  full  of  my  own.  What  can  you  say 
about  the — assailants  ?  " 

"  You're  right,  major.  I  beg  your  pardon.  I'm  some- 
what stunned  by  this  accumulation  against   Langham. 


140  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Fm  utterly  puzzled  about  the  case.  I  believe  I  really 
know  less  than  when  I  started  out.  My  theory  was  that 
some  of  those  hulking  half-breeds  had  been  bribed  to  do 
this  thing.  There  were  others  jealous  of  Langham  be- 
sides Crabbe,  and  one,  I  feared,  with  far  better  reason. 
Those  are  Indian  footprints  at  the  willows  and  at  the 
prairie  station.  Winsor's  party  is  trailing  them  up  the 
valley.  The  man  I  thought  most  ready  to  do  Langham 
up  is  the  man,  it  seems,  who  offered  to  lift  his  obliga- 
tions. Langham  refused,  believing,  I  suppose,  his 
mother's  agents  would  honor  his  paper.     Now " 

"  Now,"  said  Baker,  puffing  stolidly  at  the  corncob, 
"  the  first  thing  he's  got  to  face  when  he  comes  to,  is, 
practically,  that  he's  a  bankrupt." 

"  Unless  some  of  his  friends,"  answered  Gridley 
wearily,  "  were  to — chip  in,  you  know." 

"  His  friends !  What  friends  has  he  in  that  d-delight- 
f ul  regiment  in  position  to  help,  even  if  they  wanted  to  ?  " 

"  None  that  I  know  of,"  answered  Gridley  slowly.  "  A 
man's  best  friends  are  not  limited  to  his  own  regiment,  or 
are  they  always  found  there."  Then  turning  away  to 
the  mantel  where  beamed  Langham's  handsome  face 
above  the  trim  and  becoming  uniform,  and  lapsing  un- 
consciously into  the  slang  of  the  day,  he  continued: 
"  But— there  are  others." 


CHAPTER  X 

A   SETTLED    SCORE. 

HARDTACK'S  official  visit  had  come  to  a  close, 
and  with  it  the  colonel's  patience.  Five  days 
had  "  Hardtack  "  spent  at  and  about  Minnecon- 
jou,  the  guest  of  the  post  commander.  Time  was  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  ante-bellum  army  of  the  United  States  when 
veteran  soldiers  who  had  been  at  loggerheads  ever  since 
the  Mexican  War  were  in  like  manner  brought  into  close 
social  relationship — when  men  who  had  exchanged  inim- 
ical missives,  and  even  hostile  shots,  were  compelled  by 
the  exigencies  of  the  service  to  meet  at  festive  boards, 
exchange  frigid  bows  and  perfunctory  compliments — 
were  even,  on  one  memorable  occasion,  thrown  into  tem- 
porary, yet  unavoidable,  relations  as  host  and  guest.  And 
something  still  lingered  among  the  seniors  in  the  later- 
day  service  of  the  awful  ceremonies  necessitated  by  ex- 
alted rank  and  official  station.  Something  of  the  chiv- 
alric  halo  that  hovered  ever  about  the  brow  of  the  old- 
time  soldier,  as  we  juniors  were  taught  to  believe,  still 
lived.  When  Captain  This  and  Dr.  That  fought  their 
famous  impromptu  duel  on  the  parade  of  old  Wahsatch, 


142  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

liberally  peppering  each  other's  systems  until  the  lines- 
man fell,  did  not  the  doctor  instantly,  and  regardless  of 
his  own  serious  hurts,  drop  the  pistol  and  the  hostilities, 
and  tender  professional  "first  aid  to  the  wounded"  ?  Mack 
wished  in  his  whimsical  way  it  were  possible  to  pick  just 
such  a  quarrel  with  his  ever-aggressive,  aggravating,  and 
now  doubly  antagonistic  inspector.  Mack,  too,  was  an 
old-timer  who  had  marched  and  campaigned  under  Sum- 
ner and  Harney  in  the  days  when  dragoon,  mounted 
rifleman,  and  light  trooper — all  three — were  comprised 
in  the  little  cavalry  force  of  the  army,  and  coalesced  like 
oil  and  vinegar.  He,  too,  had  seen  something  of  the 
dying  "  code  "  in  its  last  days,  and  with  all  his  hot  heart 
he  wished  its  resuscitation,  if  only  to  have  it  out  with 
"  Hardtack,"  who  had  jarred  and  rasped  him  in  every 
conceivable  way. 

But  that  was  not  to  be.  To  the  very  last  moment  of 
his  stay  the  inspector  general  kept  up  his  ceremonious 
attention  to  Mrs.  Mack,  overwhelming  that  excellent  but 
bewildered  woman  with  the  manners  of  a  by-gone  day 
and  generation,  and  even  while  prodding  his  host  at  the 
desk,  in  the  saddle,  on  drill,  on  parade,  at  the  whist 
table,  maintaining  scrupulous  courtesy  of  demeanor  on 
all  other  occasions,  and  plainly  ignoring  or  calmly  sup- 
pressing every  overt  indication  of  the  coloners  rising 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  143 

wrath.  Everybody  knew  Fort  Minneconjou  was  coming 
in  for  a  scoring  when  "  Hardtack  "  got  back  to  headquar- 
ters. The  garrison  was  by  no  means  what  it  should  be. 
But  what  the  mess  puzzled  over  more  than  a  little  was 
why  "  Hardtack  "  should  spend  an  entire  afternoon  over 
the  accounts  of  the  disbursing  officers,  and  so  very  much 
time  at  Bullard's  prosperous  bank.  Potts's  papers  and 
vouchers  were  straight  as  a  string.  The  post  commis- 
sary had  a  clean  set  of  books  and  stubs,  with  his  cash 
balancing  to  the  skin  of  a  cent.  Captain  Grannit,  con- 
structing quartermaster  in  charge  of  the  building  of  the 
new  cavalry  stables,  had  a  goodly  balance  to  his  credit 
at  Bullard's,  and  as  many  as  the  astonishing  number  of 
seven  officers  kept  their  personal  accounts  there.  Over 
these  seven,  of  course, ''Old  Hardtack"  had  no  jurisdiction 
whatever,  though,  to  his  fame  be  it  said,  he  fully  believed 
a  government  inspector  should  not  only  be  permitted, 
but  required,  to  examine  into  the  condition  of  each  offi- 
cer's private  account.  "  Government  ought  to  know," 
said  he,  "  just  how  its  employees  are  fixed  financially." 

And  then  it  became  known  that  one  officer's  financial 
affairs  had  been  made  the  object  of  this  inspector's  scru- 
tiny, and  that  one  was  Lieutenant  Langham,  still  incap- 
able of  either  aiding,  explaining,  or  protesting,  still  so 
shaken  that  the  surgeon  said  he  must  know  nothing  about 


144  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

it  for  fear  of  the  result.  Mack  heard  of  the  affair,  and 
the  storm  in  his  heart  gathered  fury.  It  had  not  oc- 
curred to  him  that  instructions  might  have  come  direct 
from  superior  headquarters,  now  informed  on  the  one 
hand  of  Langham's  crippled  condition  physically,  and 
on  the  other  of  his  crippled  condition  financially.  Dis- 
cussion over  the  matter  waxed  warm  at  the  mess.  Dis- 
cussions, by  the  way,  were  things  forbidden  at  table,  but 
could  not  be  barred  in  the  billiard  and  smoking  room. 
Sparker  and  a  limited  few  of  his  following  sided  with 
"  Hardtack,"  mainly  because  Baker  and  his  officers  to  a 
man  were  hot  against  him,  and  on  this  point,  at  least,  most 
of  the  infantry  sided  with  Baker.  Baker  held  that  Bul- 
lard's  people  had  no  right  to  reveal  the  condition  of  a 
customer's  account.  Sparker  said  a  banker  who  held 
drafts  for  collection,  and  couldn't  collect,  owed  it  to  his 
correspondents  to  bring  the  delinquent  to  terms.  Bul- 
lard  had  probably  felt  bound  to  invoke  the  aid  of  the 
inspector,  since  it  was  certain  Langham  couldn't  aid 
himself,  and  since  it  was  rumored  that  Mack  wouldn't 
help  the  bank. 

*'  If  Bullard  did  anything  of  the  kind,"  said  Baker, 
"  I'll  close  my  account  to-morrow,  and  I'm  betting  Grid- 
ley  does  likewise." 

Where  was  Gridley?.    Ever  since  the  return  of  Win- 


I 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  145 

sor's  party,  after  a  twenty-hours'  scout  for  a  trail  that 
was  lost  in  the  rocks  of  the  upper  valley,  Gridley  had 
been  hovering  about  Langham's  bedside.  He  had  hardly 
left  it  night  or  day,  save  when  needed  for  troop  duty. 
Now,  on  this,  the  last  day  of  ''  Old  Hardtack's  "  official 
scourge,  he  was  absent  from  luncheon,  no  unusual  thing ; 
had  been  away  from  Langham's  all  the  afternoon;  had 
the  squadron  commander's  permission  to  be  absent  from 
stables  and  retreat,  and  had  not  appeared  at  dinner.  Mrs. 
Bullard,  driving  out  to  post  in  the  cool  of  the  late  after- 
noon, with  a  Silver  Hill  society  friend  to  bear  her  com- 
pany, had  inquired  earnestly  how  Mr.  Langham  was 
doing,  and  whether  she  could  see  Mr.  Gridley.  She 
seemed  disappointed  to  learn  that  the  latter  was  away. 

"  Hardtack  "  was  to  take  the  east-bound  "  Overland  " 
at  9  P.  M.  The  officers  had  formally  said  adieu  after 
the  march  past  of  the  men  at  the  close  of  parade.  Dinner 
at  the  colonel's  had  preceded  that  function,  and  Mack 
was  fidgeting  for  tlie  coming  of  his  carriage  and  the 
going  of  his  guest,  when  a  telegraph  orderly  appeared 
with  the  exasperating  news  that  the  "  Overland  "  had  a 
bad  case  of  hot  box  beyond  the  Beaver,  and  wouldn't 
be  along  before  eleven.  Everything  was  hot,  thought  poor 
"Msjck,  but  nothing  hotter  than  his  temper.  The  inspector 
sighed,  and  suggested  that  they  might  as  well  go  tq 


146  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

whist,  and  Mack  was  resigning  himself  to  the  dread 
necessity,  when  reHef  hove  in  sight  in  the  shape  of  the 
sheriff.  Blossom  came  loping  in  at  the  gate,  full  of  im- 
portance and  news.  *'  Fox,"  said  he,  "  has  been  found 
in  Deadwood,  and  Champion  is  traced  to  the  Buffalo 
outfit.  We'll  get  him  yet,  meantime  what  '11  we  do  with 
Fox?  He's  dead  broke  already — gambled  away  every 
cent  of  the  money  he  got — and  was  begging  a  job  with  a 
traveling  show  when  our  people  spotted  him.  It's  God's 
mercy  he  didn't  go  north,  with  them  Brules  and  Ogallalas 
out.     How's  Mr.  Langham  ?  " 

"  Improving,"  said  Mack  shortly.  "  My  dear,"  this  to 
his  wife,  "  you  take  my  hand  at  whist.  I'm  sure  you  can 
do  better  than  I  to-night,  and  I'll  soon  be  through  with 
Mr.  Blossom.  Ah,  Sheriff,  will  you  have — er — some- 
thing before  we  go  over  to  the  office  ?  " 

Well,  the  ride  had  been  long,  Mack's  Monongahela 
was  a  rarity,  and  the  sheriff  was  not  hard  to  persuade. 
Together  they  adjourned  to  the  dining  room  and  thence 
to  the  office,  the  orderly  going  for  Briggs  and  Belden  on 
the  run.  Mrs.  Bullard's  styilsh  barouche  was  in  front  of 
the  Warrens'  at  the  moment,  she  and  her  fair  fellow-citi- 
zen chatting  with  the  doctor  and  certain  of  the  garrison 
ladies.  All  had  seen  the  sheriff's  swift  entrance  and 
straightaway  cide  to  the  colonel's.    All  were  looking  for 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  147 

explanation,  when  other  hoofbeats  sounded  on  the  hard 
roadway  at  the  gate  and  Jim  Gridley  came  galloping 
through.  Jim  Gridley  caught  sight  of  the  groups  along 
the  row,  reined  in,  and,  with  the  obvious  purpose  of  dodg- 
ing question  and  observation,  turned  short  to  his  right 
and  sought  the  roadway  in  rear  of  the  quarters,  the  track 
of  the  wood  and  water  carts ;  sprang  from  saddle  at  his 
own  back  gate ;  slipped  into  his  bedroom  and  out  of  his 
*'  cits  " ;  hastily  soused  his  head  and  hands  in  cold  water ; 
donned  his  fatigue  dress,  and  was  out  and  away  again 
before  even  Baker  could  reach  him.  Straightaway  to 
the  adjutant's  office  across  the  parade  he  sped,  with  his 
long  strides,  and,  almost  at  the  heels  of  Mack  and  the 
sheriff,  entered  the  hall.  The  colonel's  face  lighted  with 
eagerness  as  he  turned  to  greet  him : 

"Settled?"  he  asked. 

"Settled,"  said  Gridley.  "Now,  how  about  Fox? 
The  news  of  his  capture  is  all  over  town." 

"  Taken  at  Deadwood,"  answered  Blossom  shortly. 
"  That  damned  operator  at  the  station  gives  everything 
away." 

"  It  wasn't  the  operator.  I  saw  a  dispatch  to  Bullard 
at  the  bank." 

"  Have  you  seen  Bullard  this  afternoon  ? "  inquired 
Blossom,  with  a  curious  uplifting  of  the  eyebrows. 


148  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

"  Just  left  him,"  answered  Gridley,  and  subsided  into  a 
chair,  as  Captain  Belden  quietly  entered,  followed  by  the 
adjutant. 

"  I  hope  I  have  not  kept  you  waiting,  sir,"  said  the 
former  to  the  commanding  officer.  "  My  daughter  is 
not  quite  well  to-night,  and  we  were  with  her." 

"  Not  at  all,  Belden.  We  have  only  just  come.  But 
I'm  sorry  to  hear  this  of  Kitty.  What  does  Warren  say? 
Is  there  anything  Mrs.  Mack  can  do?  She's  as  fond  of 
Kit — we  all  are,  I  guess — as  though  she  were  one  of  our 

own.    Mrs.  Mack's  playing  whist  with "  a  backward 

toss  of  the  head — "  but  she'd  far  rather  be  with  Kitty." 
Then  he  looked  up  in  sudden  surprise  and  embarrass- 
ment. There  stood  ''  Hardtack  "  at  the  door ;  his  footfalls, 
deadened  by  the  thick  coat  of  matting,  had  given  no 
warning. 

"  We  gave  up  our  game,"  said  the  veteran  with  frigid 
and  studied  calm.  "  The  ladies — ah — were  so  palpably 
excited  by  the  tidings  that,  as  others  kept  coming  in  and 
the  story  had  to  be  retold  so  often,  signals  failed  to 
attract  attention,  and  I  thought  it  a  mercy  to  stop  the 
game.  Then,  being  the  only  man  among  nearly  a  dozen 
women,  I — fell  back  on  my  supports,"  and  the  inspector 
looked  about  liim  in  search  of  a  smile. 

"  You  are — most  welcome,  sir,"  aloud ;  "  God  forgive 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  149 

me  the  lie,"  low,  said  Mack,  as  he  ceremoniously  tendered 
a  chair.  "  I  desire  to  consult  with  some  of  my  officers 
as  to  this  matter  of  the  apprehension  of  Mr.  Langham's 
a — groom  of  the  chambers,  so  to  speak."  Mack,  even  in 
his  mood  of  depression  and  disgust,  sought  to  lighten  the 
situation,  especially  as  the  inspector  took  his  seat  with  an 
expression  of  portentous  gravity  upon  his  thin-lipped  face, 
and  with  ominous  symptoms  of  intention  to  participate 
in,  if  not  even  to  preside  over,  the  proceedings.  Mack 
was  quick  to  note  it  and  to  resent.  "  But  you,  sir,  prob- 
ably, have  some  matter  in  mind  that  should  take  prece- 
dence.   If  so,  we  will  postpone,"  said  he,  suggestively. 

"  Oh,  not  at  all,  not  at  all,"  was  the  prompt  disclaimer. 
"  I  am  greatly  interested  in  this  affair  that  has — unfor- 
tunately involved  Mr.  Crabbe,  and — in  fact,  I  desire  full 
information  upon  ever>-  phase  of  the  matter.  I  shall  be 
expected  to  report  upon  it  immediately  upon  my  return 
to  my  station." 

There  was  no  help  for  it  then.  Like  a  basilisk  there 
sat  the  staff  officer,  his  cold,  gray  eyes  dominating  the 
silent  and  embarrassed  council.  "  Well,  Mr.  Sheriff," 
said  Mack,  baffled  and  despairing,  "  tell  us  all  you  know, 
again,  for  the  colonel's  benefit."  There  was  comfort  at 
least  in  that  ffing,  and  Blossom,  who  had  only  told  it 
four  times  within  the  hour,  was  in  no  wise  reluctant  to 


150  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

again  elaborate  upon  his  far-reaching  scheme  to  encom- 
pass the  rascal  Fox.  He  looked  up  impatiently,  the 
others  in  some  relief,  when  the  orderly  tip-toed  in  to  ask 
would  Lieutenant  Gridley  step  out  a  minute  and  speak  to 
a  lady.  It  was  the  Bullards'  barouche  that  stopped  the 
way.     Mack  nodded  "  Aye,"  and  Gridley  vanished. 

Nor  did  he  speedily  return.  Fox's  coming  or  going 
meant  little  to  him  now.  The  grave  yet  beautiful  face 
that  bent  toward  him  in  friendly  greeting;  the  winning 
smile,  even  though  tempered  by  anxiety ;  the  gentle,  mod- 
ulated voice — these  were  things  rare  indeed  in  his  past 
and  bewildering  in  his  present. 

"  I  hope  the  colonel  and  you,  too,  will  forgive  me,  Mr. 
Gridley,"  she  began,  as  he  lifted  his  worn  forage-cap  in 
grave  salutation  to  both  ladies.  "  I  believe  you  know 
Mrs.  Lawrence."  Another  grave  bow.  "  We  must  be 
going  in  a  moment.  Mr.  Shannon  and  Mr.  Kirk  will 
escort  us,  so  do  not  worry  as  to  that,  and  I  have  tele- 
phoned in  to  Mr.  Bullard.  But  I  thought  you  ought  to 
know  that  Mr.  Bullard  goes  East  to-night,  and  that  he 
expects  to  meet  those  English  gentlemen,  Mr.  Shafto 
and  his  friend,  on  the  train — the  ones,  you  remember,  Mr. 
Langham  came  to  talk  with  at  the  station." 

"  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Bullard,"  said  Gridley.  "  It  was — 
thoughtful  of  you." 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  151 

But  she  was  studying  his  face.  She  had  been  surprised 
by  the  tidings  when  told  her  at  four  o'clock.  Gridley 
obviously  was  not. 

"  Then — you  knew  it  ?  "  she  asked  on  the  impulse  of 
the  moment. 

"  I — had  heard  it,"  he  replied. 

"  Then  I  believe  that  is  all,"  said  she,  her  fine  eyes 
still  studying  his  face.  ''  Dr.  Warren  says  we  may  hope 
for  marked  improvement  in  Mr.  Langham's  case.  You 
will  come  and  see  us  ?  Mrs.  Lawrence  is  to  be  with  me  a 
few  days.    Good-night,  Mr.  Gridley." 

The  coachman  touched  his  horses,  the  officer  his  cap, 
and  stood  gazing  after  them  as  the  stylish  vehicle  went 
bowling  away.  Once  she  turned  and  looked  back,  but 
the  twilight  had  faded  almost  into  darkness,  and  he  could 
not  see  her  face.  Nor  did  he  move  until  the  sound  of  the 
swift  hoofbeats  died  away  far  beyond  the  eastward 
gate. 

Conversation  within  the  office  had  taken  a  livelier  tone. 
He  had  no  desire  either  to  hear  or  to  participate.  His 
thoughts  were  centered  here  about  Langham's  fortunes 
and  that  woman's  face.  He  was  slowly  sauntering  across 
the  parade  when  the  orderly  overtook  him  with  the 
colonel's  compliments,  and  would  the  lieutenant  be 
pleased  to  return  ? 


153  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

The  atmosphere  within  the  wooden  walls  was  electric 
as  he  entered.  The  storm  had  been  days  a-brewing,  and 
was  now  dangerously  near  a  break.  He  could  hear  "  Old 
Hardtack's  "  icy  tones,  clear-cut  and  biting  as  were  the 
words.  He  paused  one  moment  at  the  outer  door  to  gain 
such  information  as  he  could  before  facing  what  might 
be  a  stirring  situation.  He  had  no  difficulty  hearing.  He 
did  not  hesitate  to  bid  the  orderly  remain  beyond  the 
gate.  \Vliat  the  inspector  was  saying  of  the  regiment 
and  of  its  management  was  not  a  thing  to  be  heard,  and 
rejoicefully  repeated,  by  the  rank  and  file.  Nine-tenths 
of  these  in  '97  were  the  colonel's  stanch  and  loyal  sup- 
porters, but  there  is  ever  the  little  leaven  of  the  vicious 
and  the  disaffected.  When  finally  Mr.  Gridley  stepped 
quietly  to  the  inner  office,  the  inspector  held  the  floor,  had 
quit  his  chair  and  his  attitude  of  scrutiny,  and  with  un- 
usual gesticulation  was  emphasizing  his  winged  words. 
But  oh,  the  boiling  wrath  in  the  face  of  the  foremost 
auditor ! 

"  I  am  not  assailing  you.  Colonel  Mack.  I  recognize 
your  right  to  stand  up  for,  as  you  say,  the  honor  of  your 
regiment,  but,  since  you  challenge  my  authority  or  my 
rightful — er — prerogative  of  investigation  in  the  prem- 
ises, I  will  say  that,  in  my  opinion,  the  honor  of  the  regi- 
ment would  have  been  far  better  guarded  had  its  com- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  15S 

mander  from  the  first  repressed  all  extravagance  and  dis- 
play on  part  of — any  of  its  officers,  and  had  he  promptly 
and  thoroughly  investigated  the  numerous  and  damaging 
complaints  that  had  been  lodged  against — one  of  them — 
instead  of  striving  to  conceal  them  even  to  the  extent  of 
trying  to  pull  the  wool  over  the  eyes  of  the — the  author- 
ized representative  of  the  secretary  of  war." 

Mack's  face  was  well-nigh  purple,  but  he  saw  Grid- 
ley's  quick  signal,  the  forefinger  at  the  lips,  then  the  hand 
uplifted,  palm  to  the  front,  lowered,  dropped.  He  had 
seen  the  same  sign  among  the  Indians.  With  magnifi- 
cent effort  he  surrounded  himself,  as  it  were;  gathered 
himself  within  the  armor,  swiftly  forged,  of  repression 
and  reserve.  It  was  full  ten  seconds  before  another  word 
was  spoken.  Then,  though  his  voice  shook,  his  hand 
shook,  the  table  shook,  because  thereon  he  rested  his 
hand.  Mack  replied : 

"  Promptly  and  thoroughly  every  charge  referred  to 
m^e  has  been  investigated,  to  the  extent  that  I  know  more 
and  much  more  of  the  merits  of  this  case  than  you,  sir, 
appear  to  think.  Before  a  Court  of  Inquiry,  if  the  Presi- 
dent will  but  accord  it,  I  shall  answer  the  aspersions  you 
have  seen  fit  to  make,  but  this  I  tell  you  here  and  now: 
There  has  been  no  effort  whatever  to  mislead  you.  I 
Said  I  had  reason  to  believe  that  every  claim  against  Mr. 


154  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Langham  would  be  met  in  full — and  within  the 
month " 

"  And  his  banker  here  assures  me  his  Eastern  agent 
has  dishonored  his  drafts  and  refused  him  another  cent," 
unluckily  burst  in  the  senior  officer. 

"  In  spite  of  which  assurance,  sir,  I  know  that  every 
claim  has  been  satisfied.  So  far  as  your  informants  are 
concerned,  Mr.  Langham  doesn't  owe  one  cent." 

The  inspector  turned  sharply  in  his  nervous  stride  and 
glared  at  the  post  commander,  who  stood  shaking  at  his 
table,  but  looking  his  accuser  squarely  and  straight  in  the 
eye.  Briggs  sat  squirming  on  the  settee,  downing  with 
infinite  difficulty  a  longing  to  spring  to  his  feet  and  shout. 
Belden,  pale  and  distressed  but  the  moment  before,  now 
uplifted  his  head,  his  face  aglow  with  sympathy  and  sat- 
isfaction. Blossom,  utterly  *'  nonplussed,"  clung  to  the 
arms  of  his  chair  and  gazed  uneasily  about  him.  Grid- 
ley  it  was  who  put  an  end  to  the  suspense  of  the  situation 
by  stepping  quietly  forward,  placing  on  the  desk  under 
the  eye  of  the  inspector  a  flat  packet  of  papers,  bowing 
coolly,  and  saying :  *'  There  are  the  receipts."  Then  he 
turned  and  left  the  room. 


CHAPTER  XI 

LAST   SEEN — AT    SUNSET. 

A  WEEK  passed  by.  Langham  was  beginning 
to  sit  up,  and  all  Fort  Minneconjou  knew  that 
over  and  above  the  grievous  distress  and  mis- 
hap of  the  month  gone  by,  there  had  come  to  him  a  poign- 
ant sorrow — the  news  that  his  fond,  devoted  mother 
was  no  more.  Not  until  his  ceaseless  inquiries  for  her 
letters,  and  his  insistence  on  telegraphing  for  tidings  of 
her,  warned  Warren  that  further  concealment  would  be 
damaging,  did  they  finally  tell  him.  Not  even  now  was 
he  allowed  to  know  the  purport  of  the  telegrams  that  had 
come  to  him  from  Billings  and  from  the  East.  "  Rest 
content  that  your  affairs  are  in  good  hands — that  there  is 
now  no  need  to  act  or  even  to  worry,"  said  Gridley. 
"  Get  well ;  get  strong ;  don't  bother  that  bedeviled  head 
of  yours  with  business  of  any  kind  until  you  are  strong 
enough  to  move  about,  then  I'll  talk  with  you."  And  in 
his  grief  and  weakness  of  body  and  soul  Langham  was 
fain  to  comply.  For  some  days  he  sat  in  a  darkened 
room,  denied  to  all  but  the  doctor,  the  nurse,  and  Gridley. 
But  he  had  sent  a  message  to  Colonel  Mack  before  he 

155 


156  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

had  been  up  an  entire  hour,  asking  that  proceedings  of 
any  kind  against  Mr.  Crabbe  be  dropped — that  Crabbe 
be  released  from  arrest.  The  step  had  already  been  de- 
cided upon,  but  Gridley  took  his  words.  Crabbe  had 
resumed  duty,  silent,  but  hating  Baker  almost  as  he  had 
hated  Langham,  and  seeking  opportunity  to  get  square. 
Those  were  peppery  days  at  the  mess,  and  Mrs.  Sparker 
was  said  to  have  laid  her  mandate  on  the  captain  not  to 
go  there,  which  robbed  Crabbe  of  his  most  assiduous 
supporter. 

Fox  had  been  brought  over  from  Deadwood  and  lodged 
in  the  county  jail.  Fox  was  an  aggrieved  and  injured 
man.  Fox  said  that  'e'd  been  drinking  a  bit,  and  couldn't 
manage  his  'orse  that  night,  an'  the  bloomin'  brute  'ad 
run  with  him  when  the  shooting  began,  carried  him  clear 
to  town,  where  more  whisky  was  to  be  had,  where  he 
soon  heard  he  was  suspected  of  the  lieutenant's  murder. 
He  feared  the  soldiers  would  lynch  him.  He  just  rode 
out  near  the  fort,  turned  loose  the  plug,  took  Champion 
out  when  the  sentry  wasn't  looking,  and  spurred  away 
for  safety.  They  gave  him  knock-out  drops  at  a  ranch 
near  the  Belle  Fourche.  Next  thing  he  knew  the  stage 
dumped  him  out  at  Deadwood,  with  Champion  gone. 
Drink  did  it  all,  and  he  begged  they  would  let  him  see  his 
master  and  plead   his   cause.     When   reminded   of  his 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  157 

treachery  to  that  master — his  threats  to  "  show  him  up," 
and  drive  him  out  of  the  army,  Fox  at  first  stoutly  swore 
he  had  never  ''  thought  of  such  a  thing,"  but,  when  con- 
fronted with  a  crowd  of  witnesses,  gave  way  to  lamenta- 
tion. "  Never  again,  so  'elp  me  Gawd,  will  I  touch  a 
drop  of  spirits — that's  Hamerican  made,"  said  Fox,  and 
meanwhile  resigned  himself  to  his  cruel  fate. 

Mrs.  Bullard  was  sending  frequently  to  Langham  bas- 
kets of  choice  fruit,  delicacies  of  her  own  making,  helpful 
little  notes  and  messages.  How  could  the  women  be  kept 
from  knowing  it  when  her  manservant  came  riding  or 
dog-carting  almost  every  day?  But  Mrs.  Bullard  her- 
self came  not  at  all.  Nor  was  she  seen  in  town.  For 
nearly  a  week  the  lady  had  secluded  herself,  with  Mrs. 
Lawrence  for  sole  companion,  and  Silver  Hill  and  Min- 
neconjou  couldn't  understand  it.  She  had  even  given  up 
the  idea  of  seeing  Kitty  Belden,  though  she  had  sent  her, 
too,  fruit  and  flowers.  Kitty  herself  was  buoyantly 
mending,  and  had  just  begun  to  resume  her  rides.  Peo- 
ple are  less  apt  to  ask  questions  of  a  swift  horsewoman 
or  man,  and  Captain  Belden  sought  to  shield  his  child 
from  the  torment  of  inquiry  at  the  hands  of  prying  neigh- 
bors. Her  mother,  less  gentle,  but  no  less  schooled  in 
the  ways  of  the  world,  had  given  the  child  much  more 
sharp  admonition  than  Belden  would  have  countenanced 


158  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

had  he  known  it,  and  Kitty  Belden,  as  a  consequence,  had 
bridged  in  a  single  week  the  broad  gulf  'twixt  fearless, 
innocent  girlhood  and  the  viewpoint  of  the  maiden, 
shrinking,  wondering,  and  ashamed.  She  would  never 
now,  she  thought,  ride  townward  lest  she  should  meet 
the  lady  her  mother  so  disliked.  She  would  not  care  to 
ride  Champion  now,  yet  could  not  say  why.  She  could 
not  bear  to  ride  with  Flo  Cullin,  who  was  always  "  poky.'' 
By  the  west  gate,  up  the  Minneconjou,  therefore,  she 
took  her  lonely  way.  There  were  no  more  riding  parties, 
no  more  splendid  runs  behind  the  hounds.  The  summer 
suns  had  come  for  good ;  the  days  were  far  too  warm. 

But  riding,  solitary,  with  only  a  pet  hound  or  two  for 
escort  and  companion,  Kitty  could  watch  and  think,  and 
the  afternoon  of  her  third  gallop,  coming  suddenly  upon 
a  shoulder  of  bluff  that  commanded  a  grand  view  south- 
ward toward  the  Calumet  and  the  valley  of  the  South 
Cheyenne,  she  saw,  down  among  the  cottonwoods  in  a 
dry  fork  of  the  stream,  a  little  party  of  horsemen  moving 
slowly  toward  the  distant  roofs  of  Silver  Hill.  The 
very  fact  that  almost  instantly  they  scattered,  five  of 
them  scurrying  away  southeastward  toward  the  aban- 
doned railway  station,  while  two  others  jogged  on 
stolidly  townward,  told  her  they  were  Indians,  for  In- 
dians  sight  every  moving  object  within  the   limits   of 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  159 

their  visioru  She  watched  them  until  the  fleeing  five 
were  mere  dots  upon  the  distant  prairie;  took  courage 
from  their  evident  alarm ;  noted  that  the  flag-staff  and 
the  fort  were  barely  six  miles  away  to  the  east;  con- 
tinued boldly  down  into  the  valley;  found  the  trail  of 
the  unshod  ponies  in  the  sandy  bottom,  and  riding 
warily,  held  back  until  near  the  browsing  herds  of  the 
cavalr}%  guarded  by  watchful  troopers  in  saddle  and 
sidelined  against  stampede.  Then  on  she  sent  her  will- 
ing pony,  overtaking  and  passing  the  unkempt,  uncouth 
riders  ahead,  recognizing  instantly  two  of  the  dawdling 
half-breeds  she  had  often  seen  hanging  about  the  streets 
or  station.  "How,"  "How,"  they  grunted,  in  the  fron- 
tier fashion  of  the  Sioux.  She  longed  to  make  them 
tell  who  were  these,  their  friends,  who  had  lashed  away 
at  sight  of  a  solitary  girl,  but  well  she  knew  they  would 
only  profess  ignorance  of  ever>'thing,  including  her 
language.  She  had  heard  of  the  venturesome  band  of 
young  braves  out  on  an  Indian  lark  from  the  reserva- 
tion, and  marveled  at  their  daring  to  come  so  close  to 
Minneconjou.  She  knew  that  were  the  cavalry  only 
mounted  and  ready,  a  troop  would  be  sent  in  instant 
pursuit,  but  now  it  would  take  half  an  hour  to  run  the 
herds  back  to  the  stables,  there  to  be  hurriedly  saddled 
by  their  assembling  riders.     She  knew  it  would  be  an 


160  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

hour,  at  least,  before  the  troop  could  get  away  in  chase. 
The  wild  riders  were  well  nigh  out  of  sight  when  she  left 
the  bluff,  five  miles  up  stream;  they  would  be  a  dozen 
miles  away,  with  night  coming  on  apace,  before  pursuit 
could  even  be  ordered.  Still  she  would  tell  the  herd 
guard,  and  excitedly  she  hailed  the  veteran  sergeant  in 
charge,  as  she  came  cantering  up  the  slope.  He  listened 
respectfully,  with  his  campaign  hat  uplifted.  Every  man 
knew  the  captain's  bonny  daughter.  "  Five  Sioux,  ser- 
geant," she  cried,  "  were  riding  with  those  half-breeds 
yonder.  I  saw  them  from  Bonnet  Bluff,  coming  out  of 
the  Dry  Fork  Valley.  They  saw  me  before  I  could  hide. 
Away  they  went,  full  speed,  out  past  the  station,  and 
almost  out  of  sight." 

"  Yes,  miss,"  answered  the  trooper.  "  Sheriff  Blossom 
brought  in  a  report  of  a  band  seen  at  two  o'clock  north- 
east of  hi«  place.  Lieutenant  Shannon  and  some  of  "  C  " 
Troop  left  at  once  on  scout;  and,  I  think,  miss,  there 
are  others  out  hunting  for  you." 

"  Thank  you,  sergeant,"  she  answered,  her  cheeks 
flushing  with  the  exhilaration  of  the  gallop  and  the 
thought  of  her  adventure.  "  I'll  hurry  right  in  that  they 
may  know  I'm  safe."  Again  she  put  her  pony  to  his 
speed,  glorying  in  the  exercise,  and,  reining  him  in  only 
aft  she  neared  the  west  gate,  rode  buoyantly  on  past  the 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  161 

band  quarters ;  turned  suddenly  to  her  left  at  the  end  of 
the  row  and  came  face  to  face  with  Mrs.  Bullard,  fol- 
lowed by  a  groom,  riding  her  beautiful  thoroughbred 
and  looking  the  picture  of  fem-inine  grace  and  style  in 
saddle.  Kitty  was  trapped.  A  burning  flush  swept  to 
her  forehead,  but  her  eyes  never  flinched.  She  raged  in 
her  heart  when,  as  though  seeing  no  symptom  of  em- 
barrassment, the  elder,  the  accomplished  society  woman, 
hailed  her  joyously,  as  with  practiced  hand  she  whirled 
Roscoe  about  and  brought  him,  snorting  suspiciously, 
alongside  the  panting  pony.  "  Welcome  and  well  met, 
Miss  Kitty,  I  was  just  riding  out  to  join  the  searchers. 
Did  you  see  anything  of  them  ?  " 

"  I  saw  some  Indians,"  answered  the  girl,,  with  scant 
cordiality,  and  IMrs.  Bullard  marked,  but  never  seemed 
to  note  it. 

"  The  news  of  their  ha\ang  been  seen  out  to  the  north- 
east started  quite  a  commotion.  I  think  your  father 
has  gone,  with  others,  in  search  of  you.  And  there's 
your  mother,  so  I  won't  keep  you  now."  Smiling  kindly, 
she  raised  her  ivory  whip  handle  in  air  in  blithe  adieu. 
Then  once  more,  so  as  not  to  repass  the  many  sentineled 
piazzas  on  the  officers'  side,  turned  Roscoe  to  the  west 
and  at  gentle  canter  swept  clear  round  the  roadway 
bejxjnd  the  broad  parade  and  appeared  once  more  at  the 


162  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

east  end  of  the  row  and  went  straightway  to  Langham's 
gate,  where  in  waiting  stood  Lieutenant  Gridley — James 
the  Silent,  James  the  society  shunner,  ready  to  assist 
her.  Tossing  to  him  her  costly  whip,  with  the  eyes  of 
half  the  women  of  Fort  Minneconjou  upon  her,  she  freed 
her  left  foot  from  the  stirrup,  her  right  knee  from  the 
pommel ;  up  went  his  hands  to  her  slender  waist ;  lightly 
her  fingertips  touched  his  shoulders,  and  down  she  came, 
buoyant  as  a  bird ;  took  his  tendered  arm  and  disappeared 
with  him  within  Langham's  doorway,  the  first  woman  to 
be  permitted  to  visit  the  convalescent  since  the  night  of 
that  cruel  stroke.  Five  doors  away  Kitty  Belden  had 
sprung  from  saddle  and  stood  listening  to  a  torrent  of 
maternal  admonition,  complaint,  and  adjuration.  Never 
again  must  she  ride  out  alone!  (Never  before  had 
escort  been  deemed  necessary.)  Never  again  must  she 
so  worry  her  father;  never  again — but  presently  the  at- 
tention of  both  lecturer  and  audience  began  to  wander; 
the  tongue  of  the  elder  woman  stopped  in  stupefaction. 
They  saw  Mrs.  Bullard  dismount  and  enter  Langham's 
doorway,  and  Kitty,  darting  to  her  room,  never  heard 
her  mother's  virtuous  comment  flung  across  the  gallery 
to  the  adjacent  Mrs.  Sparker:  "Well,  what  is  that 
woman  made  of  ?  " 

By  common  consent  the  duration  of  Mrs.  Bullard's 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  163 

call  exceeded  half  an  hour.  By  the  office  clock  it  did  not 
touch  ten  minutes.  Again  they  appeared,  Gridley  and 
the  lady,  at  Langham's  gate,  this  time  in  earnest  con- 
ference. Again  he  bent,  and  she  bundled  into  saddle. 
Again  she  rode  briskly  away,  bowing  graciously  to  those 
she  happened  to  pass,  gave  Roscoe  his  head  the  moment 
she  was  clear  of  the  gate,  and  galloped  on  homeward, 
with  her  groom  lunging  a  dozen  paces  behind,  and  Jim 
Gridley  gazing  after  her  until  the  graceful  form  was 
hidden  from  view. 

*'  Why  didn't  you  ask  her  to  stay  to  dinner  and 
parade  ? "  inquired  Mack  of  his  better  half,  who  had 
watched  proceedings  from  the  vantage  ground  of  her 
high  piazza. 

"I  did,"  was  the  reply,  "but  it's  Bullard's  first  day 
home  from  the  East — much  she  cares  for  that,"  in  under- 
tone "  I  s'pose  she  wants  to  see  what  new  things  he 
brought  her — the  old  fool !  "  As  this  sentence,  like  its 
predecessor,  wound  up  with  an  uncomplimentary  com- 
ment in  inaudible  tone,  it  is  but  fair  to  assume  that  Mrs. 
Mack  shared  the  general  opinion  that  Mrs.  Bullard 
held  her  husband  in  but  faint  esteem,  also  that  Mrs. 
Mack's  husband,  whose  domestic  status  was  never  ques- 
tioned, had  cautioned  the  lady  of  his  house  and  name 
against  over  expression  of  her  views. 


164.  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

First  call  for  dress  parade  was  ringing  over  the  sun- 
swept  valley  as  tlie  riders  rounded  the  deep  bend  of  the 
Minneconjou,  where  it  circled  northward  between  the 
fort  and  town,  then  disappeared  from  view  behind  the 
full  fringed  crests  of  the  leafy  cottonwoods  that,  spring- 
ing from  the  moist  and  sandy  shore  of  the  stream,  tow- 
ered a  few  yards  higher  than  the  *'  bench  "  to  its  left  and 
screened  the  roadway  for  another  mile.  The  gate  guard 
had  stood  watching  them,  and  that  was  the  last  seen 
of  Mrs.  Bullard  for  the  night — indeed  for  many  a  day. 


CHAPTER    XII 

ABDUCTION. 

THERE  were  associates  of  Amos  Bullard,  meet- 
ing him  as  he  stepped  from  the  "  Flyer  "  that 
afternoon,  who  said  to  each  other  after  seeing 
him  home  from  his  office  that  "  that  the  old  man  had  aged 
ten  years  in  ten  days."  His  was  a  bluff,  brusque  per- 
sonality. Prosperity  had  made  him  dominant  if  not 
domineering.  Wealth  had  been  won  but  slowly  at  first, 
then  fairly  dumped  itself  into  his  vaults  and  coffers. 
Wealth  had  brought  him  influence,  power,  high  position 
in  his  community  and  high  credit  in  financial  circles  in 
the  East.  Wealth  had  built  and  furnished  and  stocked 
his  sumptuous  home,  and  wealth,  it  was  said,  had  bought 
its  beautiful  queen. 

Silver  Hill  had  known  her  three  years,  much  to  ad- 
mire, if  also  to  envy.  Whatever  it  was  in  her  liege  lord 
she  saw  to  honor  and  to  love  society  could  not  say. 
Neither  could  it  say  that  she  had  ever  failed  in  render- 
ing every  outward  homage  to  the  husband  who  had  won 
her  hand  if  not  her  heart— never  until  this  last  springs 
when  Mr.  Langham  came  into  her  life  and  Roscoe  and  the 

16& 


166  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

long  rides  followed.  For  three  years  she  had  appeared 
in  public  onh^  with  her  husband,  and  his  pride  in  her 
beauty  and  grace  was  something  almost  inordinate. 
Marriage  had  vastly  improved  him,  said  society.  Mar- 
riage had  smoothed,  softened,  and  tempered,  even  if  it 
could  not  sweeten  and  refine  him.  Bullard  was  too  far 
steeped  in  commercialism  to  come  to  that.  Marriage 
had  even  seemed  to  make  him  content  and  happy.  His 
head  was  held  so  high ;  his  step  and  bearing  were  so 
proud,  confident,  commanding.  Then,  along  in  March, 
he  had  begun  to  grow  irritable  again.  In  April,  some- 
thing was  hanging  heavy  on  his  mind,  for  he  would  quit 
his  desk,  his  dictation,  and,  abruptly  turning  from  affairs 
that  had  hitherto  absorbed  him,  go  to  the  great  window 
and  stand  for  long  moments  staring  gloomily  out 
toward  the  ornate  towers  of  his  home  rising  there 
above  the  roofs  and  chimneys  on  the  higher  bank  of 
the  North  Fork— the  "Dancing  Water."  In  May,  the 
fits  of  abstraction  and  nervousness  had  increased  to  a 
marked  degree,  and  women  giggled  and  men  sniggered 
as  they  gossiped  over  the  probable  cause.  In  June,  they 
were  seldom  seen  together,  his  wife  and  he,  and  from  the 
night  of  that  calamitous  assault  on  Mr.  Langham  out  at 
the  Minneconjou  fords  Bullard  had  seemed  a  haunted, 
hunted  man.    He  had  made  a  hurried  trip  to  his  mines ; 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  167 

he  had  kept  constantly  on  the  move;  he  had  suddenly 
gone  East — no  one  as  yet  knew  just  how  far — and 
had  as  suddenly  returned,  as  so  many  said,  "  looking 
ten  years  older  in  the  last  ten  days." 

Nor  had  she  been  at  the  station  to  meet  him.  Nor 
was  he  pleased  that  certain  fellow  citizens  had  there 
assembled,  advised  of  his  coming  through  an  item  in 
the  Morning  Chronicle,  dated  Chicago  the  previous 
evening,  to  the  effect  that  Amos  BuUard,  Esq.,  of  Silver 
Hill,  had  disposed  of  certain  of  his  holdings  to  an 
English  syndicate,  of  which  the  Hon.  Percy  Shafto  was 
representative,  and  Mr.  Bullard  was  a  passenger  on  the 
"  Flyer  "  westward  bound.  Bullard  savagely  damned  the 
Chronicle  and  its  Chicago  correspondent,  a  thing  both 
Chronicle  and  correspondent  would  only  have  rejoiced 
in  but  for  the  distressing  fact  that  Mr.  Bullard  was  one 
of  the  Chronicle's  heaviest  stockholders.  Even  his  sec- 
retary and  stenographer  had  not  been  informed  by  wire 
of  his  coming.  Even  his  wife  learned  it  through  Mrs. 
Lawrence,  who  having  seen  the  item  in  the  paper,  ex- 
pressed surprise  at  finding  her  friend  in  saddle  and 
going  out  to  the  fort.  Mrs.  Lawrence  said  later  that 
Mrs.  Bullard  opened  her  eyes  wide,  looked  astonished, 
but  quickly  recovered  herself  and  said,  "  Probably  a 
newspaper  conjecture.    I  think  they  would  have  known 


168  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

it  at  the  office  and  notified  me,"  then  rode  calmly  on. 
Who  was  it  had  said,  "  So  long  as  she  had  Langham 
she  would  have  no  groom,  but  now " 

Nevertheless,  Mrs.  Lawrence  remembered,  as  did 
others  who  heard  the  words,  the  tone,  the  manner  in 
which  this  formerly  model  wife  had  accosted  her  hus- 
band at  the  entrance  to  the  assembly  room  the  night 
of  Langham's  mysterious  misadventure.  Then  servant 
folk  of  Silver  -Hill  had  been  quoted  as  telling  of  stirring 
controversy  between  the  married  pair  in  the  sanctity  of 
their  apartment,  sometimes  in  the  dead  hours  of  night. 
All  society  felt  certain  that  something  most  serious  had 
happened  to  destroy  the  peace  and  harmony  that  had 
existed,  and  some  women  went  so  far  as  to  say  that 
when  a  woman  despised  her  husband  as  Mrs.  BuUard 
evidently  despised  him,  it  would  account  for  much  ap* 
parent  misbehavior  with  other  men. 

George  Belden,  a  gentleman,  could  almost  have  throt- 
tled his  wife  had  he  known  that  all  this,  and  more, 
she  had  been  telling  to  his  child. 

It  must  have  been  somewhere  toward  11.45  that  night 
that  the  telephone  bell  at  the  post  quartermaster's  office 
began  to  ring.  One  of  the  clerks  was  supposed  at  all 
times,  sleeping  or  waking,  to  be  within  summons  of  that 
useful,  if  distracting,  instrument.     But  for  long  months 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  169 

it  had  not  been  known  to  chirp  at  that  hour  unless  there 
was  a  dance  or  late  dinner  going  on,  and  this  time  there 
was  neither.  There  was  a  girl  at  the  ordnance  ser- 
geant's who  twisted  that  clerk  round  her  little  finger, 
and  he  was  wooing  while  the  elders  slept.  By  the 
merest  accident  a  corporal  of  the  guard  going  by  heard 
the  insistent  clamor;  went  in  to  wake  the  supposed 
sleeper;  found  him  missing;  so  answered  himself.  As 
luck  would  have  it,  he  was  the  corporal  in  charge  of  the 
little  detachment  known  as  the  gate  guard,  the  three 
men  who,  with  their  non-commissioned  officer,  spent 
their  tour  at  the  little  supplementary  guard-house  at  the 
side  of  the  entrance — the  very  corporal  who,  with  his 
comrades,  stood  gazing  after  Mrs.  Bullard  and  her 
groom  until  they  were  lost  to  view  beyond  the  fringe 
of  cottonwoods.  This  was  the  only  telephone  instrument 
at  the  post,  Uncle  Sam  declining  to  furnish  his  military 
stations  with  such  commodities,  reasoning,  perhaps,  that 
news  of  all  kinds  flies  too  fast  as  it  is.  Whenever  people 
wished  to  "  talk  with  town  "  they  invaded  the  ante-room 
at  the  quartermaster's,  and  by  day  the  thing  was  buz- 
zing perpetually.  Now,  town  was  calling  the  fort  and 
in  the  dead  of  night. 

"Hwat's    that,    mum?"    shouted    Corporal    Haney. 
"Was    Mrs.    Bullard    here?      No,    mum.      She    went 


170  COMRADES     IN     ARMS 

home  at  retreat.  I  seen  her  an'  Jennings,  myself. 
Who'm  I?  Corporal  Haney,  mum,  gate  guard.  Yes, 
mum.  I  seen  her  go'n',  watched  her  out  'f  sight. 
Niver  got  home?  Will  I  call  Loot'nt  Gridley.  Yes, 
mum.  An'  who'll  I  say?  Mrs.  Lawrence,  mum?  Yes, 
mum,  right  away.  An'  he's  to  call  you  up,  Main  6i  ? 
Yes,  mum."  And  away  went  honest  Haney  on  the  run, 
and  two  minutes  later  was  banging  at  Gridley's  inner 
door;  the  outer  in  midsummer  was  rarely  closed. 

Jim  Gridley  was  out  of  bed  and  into  his  boots  almost 
before  Haney  had  finished  the  half  of  his  message.  "  Run 
to  stables  and  have  'em  send  up  my  horse  at  once,"  said 
he.    "  I'll  be  at  the  telephone  by  that  time." 

It  was  midnight  now,  and  the  post  was  dark  and 
silent.  The  twelve  o'clock  call  of  the  last  man  of  the 
sentry  chain  had  just  gone  shrilling  on  the  sweep  of  the 
night  wind,  and  Number  One  in  melodious  contrast  was 
moaning,  "  A-a-ll's  well."  Hooking  his  blouse  as  he  came 
springing  from  his  quarters,  Gridley  took  the  short  cut 
across  the  parade,  and  was  whirling  the  handle  of  the 
old-fashioned  'phone  before  Haney  had  even  roused  the 
stable  sergeant  of  his  troop.  Central  seemed  expecting 
him,  for  Main  6i  answered  almost  instantly.  It  was 
Mrs.  Lawrence's  voice,  and  Mrs.  Lawrence  was  agitated. 
What  he  gathered  was  this:     That  after  eleven  o'clock 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  171 

Mrs.  Bullard's  maid  came  trembling  through  the  night 
to  Mrs.  Lawrence,  who  lived  five  squares  away.  Her 
mistress  had  not  returned ;  neither  had  the  groom  nor  the 
horses.  Mrs.  Lawrence  vainly  strove  to  assure  her  there 
was  no  cause  for  alarm.  Mrs.  Bullard  had  probably 
stayed  at  Minneconjou  for  a  dance,  a  concert,  or  some- 
thing, but  the  maid  said  no,  she  w^ould  not  stay  to  dinner 
or  dance  in  her  riding  habit.  She  would  never  stay  so 
late  without  telephoning  or  sending  word,  and  nothing 
had  come.  She  had  tried  in  vain  to  ring  up  the  forty 
but  the  fort  wouldn't  answer.  She  had  tried  to  find  Mr. 
Bullard,  but  he  wasn't  home,  nor  at  the  office,  nor  at 
the  hotel  nor  club.  He  had  been  at  home  between  5.30 
and  six.  His  room  and  his  things  were  in  much  confu- 
sion, and  there  were  other  things  Mrs.  Lawrence  could 
tell  Mr.  Gridley  personally — she  wouldn't,  she  said,  over 
the  'phone,  wherein  she  was  wise.  Meantime,  could  Mr. 
Gridley  advise  or  suggest  anything?  Mr.  Lawrence  was 
home  and  would  do  anything  Mr.  Gridley  said. 

What  Mr.  Gridley  said  was,  "  I'll  be  with  you  inside 
an  hour,"  and  within  five  minutes  he  had  written  a  line 
to  be  given  the  adjutant  at  reveille,  and  mounting  his 
astonished  and  half  drowsy  steed,  was  trotting  out  of 
the  gate.  Once  well  clear  of  the  post  he  took  the  gallop 
and  the  ford  trail  to  town.     It  was  too  dark  for  scout- 


172  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

ing.  One  question  he  asked  the  guard :  Had  Mr.  Shan- 
non and  his  troopers  returned?  No?  Then  Indians 
must  have  been  seen  and  pursued  and  driven.  What- 
ever devilment  had  been  planned  prompt  action  had 
blocked.  It  wasn't  Indians  that  prevented  the  lady's 
return.  It  wasn't  until  he  reached  town  and  left  his 
mount  at  the  hotel  stable  that  Gridley  found  a  clue. 

It  was  barely  one  when  he  rang  at  the  Lawrences' 
door  and  was  ushered  into  the  sitting  room.  A  tearful 
maid  was  still  there  and  the  faces  of  the  Lawrences,  hus- 
band and  wife,  were  very  grave.  It  seemed  best  that 
Mrs.  Lawrence  should  tell  the  story,  the  maid  couldn't 
without  frequent  breakdowns.  Until  the  previous  win- 
ter, she  said,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bullard  had  been  happy. 
Then  Mrs.  Bullard  got  a  letter  along  in  February  that 
was  shoved  under  the  front  door.  All  her  mail  came  in 
care  of  Mr.  Bullard.  Presently  another  came  in  the 
same  way,  and  finally  one  addressed  to  Mr.  Bullard, 
which  Mrs.  Bullard  herself  handed  him  when  he  came 
home  that  night,  and  there  was  a  terrible  scene.  More 
scenes  followed,  Bullard  begging  and  pleading  and  Mrs. 
Bullard  refusing.  The  maid  seemed  to  know  more  than 
she  could  have  legitimately  learned,  and  Gridley  sur- 
mised there  had  been  no  little  listening  at  keyholes. 
Matters  went  from  bad  to  worse.     Mrs.  Bullard  was 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  173 

heard  in  May  to  tell  him  if  he  didn't  do  something  or 
other  before  July  she  would  leave  him  forever,  and  it 
was  this  he  was  trying  to  prevent.  Early  in  June  he 
told  her  he  had  engaged  a  groom  because  he  believed  it 
utterly  unsafe  for  her  to  be  riding  so  far  from  town 
alone.  She  would  not  have  him  with  her  at  first,  but 
late  one  afternoon  two  half-breeds  actually  dared  accost 
her  on  the  prairie,  demanding  money,  and  sought  to  de- 
tain her.  Roscoe  easily  distanced  their  ponies,  but  after 
that  she  had  to  take  the  groom  along  or  give  up  riding. 
None  of  the  servants  liked  that  groom ;  he  put  on  airs, 
she  said,  and  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  them.  The 
maid  could  easily  have  told  more — probably  had  told 
more  to  Mrs.  Lawrence,  but  Gridley  had  heard  quite 
enough — more  than  enough.  One  question  he  asked : 
Had  she  ever  tried  to  see  any  of  the  mysterious  notes? 
and  the  maid,  coloring  violently  and  protesting  that  she 
hadn't,  convinced  him  that  she  had.  So  he  asked  an- 
other: What  claim  had  the  woman  on  Mr.  Bullard? 
The  maid  bridled,  and  hadn't  said  it  was  a  woman  that 
wrote.  She  gathered  as  much,  however,  from  what  she 
heard  accidentally  of  the  altercation.  The  woman  said 
she  was  Mr.  BuUard's  lawful  wife;  had  lived  with  him 
two  years,  and  he  treated  her  shameful  and  deserted  her 
and  her  child.    She'd  been  trying  for  ever  so  long  to  find 


174  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

him.  Gridley  did  not  answer  this  at  once.  He  sat  look- 
ing intently,  strangely,  at  the  mincing,  sniffling  creature 
as  though  he  needed  to  know  more,  yet  it  shamed  him 
to  ask.  He  had  grown  paler,  too.  Lawrence  and  his 
wife  both  saw  that.  He  finally  asked  if  the  maid  couldn't 
describe  any  of  the  letters — what  they  were  like — 
whether  they  were  well  written  like  those  of  an  educated 
person,  or  were  crude  and  mispelled.  The  maid  hadn't 
noticed,  and  couldn't  even  say  whence  they  came.  They 
bore  no  post-mark  or  stamp.  They  were  slipped  under 
the  storm  door  by  someone  about  town — always  in  the 
early  evening. 

And  then  there  was  silence  a  moment.  Mrs.  Law- 
rence was  still  alarmed  and  depressed.  Her  husband 
shared  her  sentiments.  Gridley  was  distressed  and 
angered,  but  not*  alarmed.  Bidding  the  maid  cross  the 
hall  and  remain  in  the  dining  room,  he  closed  the  door 
and  faced  the  couple,  to  whom  until  this  night  he  had 
been  almost  a  stranger. 

"  There  is  no  occasion  for  alarm  as  to  her  safety," 
said  he.  "  The  explanation  is  simple.  He  started  out 
at  seven  in  his  big  mountain  wagon  with  the  four-horse 
team.  He  kept  that,  you  know,  at  the  Argenta  stable. 
He  has  gone  to  his  mines,  I  haven't  a  doubt,  and  taken 
her  with  him." 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  175 

And  before  guard  mount  in  the  morning  Mrs.  Law- 
rence 'phoned  him  confirmation.  A  brief  letter  had 
come  at  seven,  brought  in  by  Mrs.  Bullard's  groom.  It 
was  from  Mr.  Bullard,  his  wife  being  too  chilled  and 
fatigued  to  write.  It  was  to  ask  her  to  be  so  kind  as  to 
:carefully  convey  Mrs.  Bullard's  jewelry,  trinkets,  val- 
uables, etc.,  to  the  bank;  to  fill  a  certain  trunk  with  such 
clothing,  etc.,  as  Mrs.  Bullard  would  be  apt  to  need  dur- 
ing a  ten  days'  sojourn  among  the  mines  and  in  the  hills ; 
to  send  that  also  to  the  bank,  and  to  send  Prim,  the 
English  maid,  to  the  cashier,  wdth  whom  she  would  find 
two  months'  wages  and  notification  of  no  further  occa- 
sion for  her  services. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

NUMBER   THIRTEEN — GONE. 

A  SEVEN  days'  wonder  at  Minneconjou  was  that 
remarkable  episode.  It  was  known,  of  course, 
all  over  the  post  before  nightfall.  Gridley,  who 
returned  white  and  worn  at  three,  never  opened  his 
head  on  the  subject  until  he  saw  the  commanding  officer 
at  nine,  and  thereafter  to  only  one  lady — one  little  lady 
— in  garrison.  But  some  of  the  wives  and  mothers  had 
gone  shopping  in  town  and  came  back  full  of  it.  Mrs. 
Lawrence  had  been  boarded  and  carried  by  storm.  Prim, 
the  lachrymose,  had  told  her  sorrowful  tale  to  dozens  of 
listening  ears,  and  by  noon  it  was  the  current  belief  that 
the  banker  had  borne  his  wife  to  the  wilds  of  the  hills 
solely  to  keep  her  from  running  away,  presumably  with 
another  man.  Indeed  it  was  from  Prim  that  Mrs.  Spar- 
ker  and  Mrs.  Belden  first  heard  the  news,  and,  forgetting 
their  shopping,  they  went  at  once  in  search  of  Mrs.  Law- 
rence to  tender  merely  sympathy  and  suggestion,  of 
course,  but  incidentally  their  services  in  collecting  and 
storing  Mrs.  Bullard's  many  beautiful  gems,  and  in  pack- 
ing that  trunk;  for  Prim,  having  received  her  dismissal, 

176 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  177 

could  not  be  expected,  even  had  she  been  desired,  to 
aid  Mrs.  Lawrence  in  the  work. 

And  such  a  time  as  had  Mrs.  Lawrence  at  the  hands 
of  such  expert  examiners  as  were  these  two  gifted  lead- 
ers!  and  such  a  time  as  might  have  had  Jim  Gridley, 
had  not  his  grim  jaws  set  squarely  and  refused  to  budge ! 
As  much  as  was  possible  he  secluded  himself  through- 
out Minneconjou's  waking  hours  with  his  convalescing 
neighbor  Langham — now  no  longer  a  "  center "  or 
barely  an  "  outer  "  in  public  interest. 

Yet  Jim  Gridley,  who  had  gone  to  bed  at  3.30,  was 
out  again  at  five,  refreshed  by  a  cold  shower  and  inspired 
with  new  ideas.  Stopping  at  the  troop  kitchen  for  a  big 
cup  of  soldier  coffee,  he  supervised  reveille  roll-call ;  re- 
ported to  the  post  adjutant  and  strode  away  to  the 
stables,  where  the  herds  were  just  being  turned  out  to 
browse  for  an  hour  on  the  dew-laden  bunch  grass ;  called 
for  a  horse ;  mounted  and  cantered  away  to  the  cotton- 
wood  grove  a  mile  or  so  down  stream.  Just  as  he 
thought,  unshod  hoofs  had  made  many  a  print  in  the 
yielding  sand.  Three  ponies  had  been  tethered  under 
one  tree  as  much  as  an  hour.  Moccasined  feet  had  me- 
andered hither  and  yon  and  had  been  planted  shiftily  in 
juxtaposition  with  some  white  brother's  boots,  for  these 
latter  had  come  down  the  bank  from  the  beaten  road- 


178  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

way;  had  clambered  again  to  the  crest,  where  a  four- 
horse  spring  wagon,  capable  of  a  shorter  turn  than  were 
those  of  government  make,  had  gone  about  and,  still 
screened  by  the  foilage  from  view  of  the  fort,  had  with 
clamping  brakes  coasted  down  a  side  track  to  the  soft, 
sandy  bottom,  and  there,  out  of  sight  from  the  main 
road  but  in  view  of  the  saddle  track  on  the  right  bank, 
had  stood  a  few  moments  waiting  for  something  or 
somebody.  Two  shod  horses  and  three  shoeless  ponies 
had  come  bunched,  struggling,  plunging  down  the  steep. 
There  had  been  a  prodigious  splutter  close  to  the  wagon, 
then  a  scatter.  The  wagon  had  first  gone  toward  the 
North  Fork  over  the  prairie  until  it  struck  the  Sagamore 
road.  The  shod  horses  had  followed — one  of  them,  as 
Gridley  could  tell,  practically  towed  by  the  other.  One 
pony  had  followed  the  Minneconjou  eastward  toward 
town ;  two  had  gone  eastward  until  within  half  a  mile  of 
the  fort,  then  out  over  the  rolling  uplands  to  the  south. 
It  was  as  plain  as  a  pikestaff  to  a  trailer  like  Gridley. 
Bullard,  the  mighty,  had  waylaid  and  abducted  his  own 
wife. 

Then,  with  gloom  in  his  eyes,  the  lieutenant  returning 
questioned  Corporal  Haney's  three  watchers  at  the  gate. 
Their  relief  was  already  paraded  and  ready  for  guard 
mounting.     Yes,  Private  Nevins  of  Company  "  G,"  on 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  179 

post  during  evening  parade,  had  just  dimly  seen  what 
looked  to  be  the  canvas  cover  of  a  Concord  wagon  driving 
over  the  distant  flats,  soon  after  gunfire.  In  these  long 
June  days,  and  high  latitudes,  it  was  late  when  the  sun 
went  to  rest.  It  must  have  been  eight  o'clock  or  after 
when  Nevins  saw  the  wagon  top.  It  was  after  seven 
when  Mrs.  Bullard  rode  away.  Jim  Gridley's  big  heart 
sickened  at  the  thought,  but  she  had  not  easily  succumbed ; 
there  must  have  been  a  desperate  struggle.  Gridley's 
teeth  set  like  a  vise  and  his  breath  came  in  gasps  at  the 
mental  picture — that  gently  nurtured  girl,  as  still  she 
seemed  to  him,  in  the  hands  of  those  unspeakable  brutes. 
When  Mrs.  Lawrence's  letter  came,  telling  him  that 
Jennings  had  returned  bearing  Bullard's  mandate  and 
bringing  the  horses,  Gridley's  first  impulse  was  to  gallop 
again  to  town  and  throttle  that  groom.  Something,  he 
could  not  say  what,  compelled  belief  that  the  fellow 
was  the  master's  tool,  sought,  hired,  and  probably  well 
paid  for  his  work.  But  before  he  could  get  ready  came 
word  by  telephone.  The  groom  had  gone  again.  He 
had  been  to  the  bank;  had  seen  Bullard's  confidential 
clerk;  had  returned;  packed  a  valise;  pitched  it  into  the 
dogcart  and  driven  away.  There  was  no  one  to  question 
his  authority.  At  noon  two  of  Shannon's  men,  coming 
in  with  played-out  horses,  said  that  as  they  crossed  the 


180  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Sagamore  road  near  Blossom's  ranch  they  saw  the 
dogcart  driving  toward  the  mines — the  man  probably 
was  gone  to  join  the  master. 

But  Gridley  would  leave  no  stone  unturned  that  gave 
promise  of  further  discovery.  He  had  gone  dutifully 
to  Major  Baker  and  with  him  to  the  colonel  and  told  what 
had  been  ascertained  as  to  the  affair  at  the  cottonwoods 
and  something  of  what  he  had  heard  in  town.  Mack 
and  Belden,  who  were  closeted  together,  told  him  in 
return  of  Kitty's  scrutiny  of  the  two  half-breeds  she  had 
passed  in  the  late  afternoon,  just  as  the  herds  were 
coming  in,  and  Gridley  asked  Belden  if  he  might  speak 
with  her.  This  was  while  Mrs.  Belden  was  still  in  town. 
Belden  said  surely,  and  went  with  him  to  the  home. 
Kitty  was  at  her  morning  studies — lessons  planned  and 
supervised  solely  by  her  father — but  she  came  at  once 
at  his  call  and  put  her  hand  shyly,  trustfully  in  that  of 
James  the  Silent.  She  liked  him  for  his  loyalty  to  Mr. 
Langham,  even  though  she  must  no  longer  like  Lang- 
ham.  Of  course  she  could  describe  the  half-breeds.  She 
had  followed  them  nearly  five  miles  and  taken  a  good 
look  when  she  finally  passed.  One  was  round  and  fat, 
with  a  greasy  look  to  his  brown  face.  He  wore  his  hair 
"  bead-braided  "  on  each  side  of  the  front  and  hanging 
low  at  the  back.     He  wore  a  shabby  old  felt  hat  and 


I 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  181 

shabby  clothes — a  blue  flannel  shirt  under  an  old  black 
silk  waistcoat,  old  gray  trousers,  somebody's  castaways, 
and  Indian  leggings,  "  like  those  the  Shoshones  make, 
tied  with  buckskin  thongs."  He  had  a  Henry  rifle,  a 
quirt,  and  his  pony  was  a  wall-eyed  pinto,  with  an  old 
ranch  bridle  and  saddle.  The  other  was  a  younger  fellow, 
with  keen,  sharp  face.  "  What  color  was  the  pinto's 
tail  ? — Why,  gray  or  a  dirty  white."  "  Like  this  ?  "  asked 
Gridley,  unreeling  from  his  left  forefinger  a  long  strand 
of  coarse  hair.  "  Exactly,"  said  Kitty.  "  The  other  pony 
was  a  claybank,  with  hardly  any  mane  and  tail- — a 
scrawny  little  brute." 

And  then  Jim  Gridley  sent  the  blood  surging  to  Kitty's 
very  brows  by  lifting  her  slender  hand  to  his  lips  and 
bowing  over  it  with  most  unlooked-for  grace,  and  saying : 
"  Little  lady,  you  deserve  to  be  chief  of  scouts."  Then 
he  turned  to  her  father.  "  It's  John  le  Gros,  beyond  a 
doubt,  with  that  cub  of  a  nephew  of  his,  and  they  were 
at  the  Argenta  stable  when  Bullard  ordered  his  team  and 
wagon,  somewhere  about  six.  Then  they  disappeared. 
He  hired  those  beggars — again." 

That  little  conference  led  to  unexpected  results.  There 
sprang  up  a  confidence  between  the  bonny,  winsome  army 
girl,  and  that  girm,  taciturn,  somewhat  elderly  lieutenant 
— a  confidence  upon  which  Belden  smiled  approval,  and 


182  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Mrs.  Belden  lavished  astringent  comment.  They  were 
seen  on  the  following  day  visiting  Gordon  in  his  lonely 
stall,  condoling  with  him  on  the  prolonged  absence  of 
Champion,  his  stable  mate,  and  pityingly  examining  his 
healing  wound.  McCrew,  the  veterinarian,  gave  it  as 
his  opinion  that  it  would  leave  an  ugly  scar  across  that 
beautiful,  glossy  breast,  and  Gordon  himself  seemed  to 
be  much  that  way  of  thinking,  for  he  had  contracted  a 
habit  of  cocking  up  his  ears,  arching  his  neck  and 
trying  to  see  for  himself.  Nor  had  he  been  at  all  pleased 
that  anyone  should  touch  or  dress  it.  Yet  he  never 
winced  at  the  touch  of  Kitty's  cool,  slender  fingers. 
McCrew  was  presently  of  opinion  that  it  would  do  Gor- 
don good  to  be  out  for  air  and  exercise.  Matters  at 
Minneconjou  had  begim  to  stagnate.  Mrs.  Bullard,  with 
her  liege  lord,  was  reported  "  up  the  range  "  at  Bul- 
lard's  remotest  camp.  "  Entire  rest  and  change  of  scene 
and  air,"  had  been  prescribed,  wrote  Bullard  to  the 
bank.  Mr.  Langham  was  slowly  mending  physically,  but 
had  displayed  a  reprehensible  indifference  to  such  femi- 
nine consolations  as  had  thus  far  been  tendered.  From 
the  night  of  the  assault  up  to  the  fifth  day  following 
the  probably  involuntary  and  possibly  forcefully  accom- 
plished exit  of  Mrs.  Bullard  from  the  scene,  only  two 
women  had  been  admitted  to  his  presence :   Mrs.  Bullard 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  183 

herself  just  once,  and  Mrs.  Warren,  wife  of  the  senior 
surgeon,  just  twice.  There  were  others  who  suggested 
coming  whom  the  convalescent  did  not  seem  to  care  to 
see.  There  were  others  whom  even  in  his  deep  despond 
he  would  have  welcomed,  who  did  not  seem  to  care  to 
come.  There  were  home-keeping,  home-loving  gentle- 
women among  the  dozen  army  wives  at  Minneconjou — 
women  who  had  enjoyed  Langham's  teas  and  Langham's 
calls,  but  who  shrank  from  what  they  feared  might  seem 
intrusion,  and  let  their  sympathies  exude  only  in  the 
shape  of  comfits  and  "  kind  inquiries."  Langham's  nurse 
lived  high  on  the  jellies,  ices,  w^hipped  creams,  etc.,  that 
came  in  such  profusion,  but  the  intended  beneficiary  sat 
languid,  inert,  and  sorrowing.  It  was  obvious  that  he  was 
in  heart  and  hope  a  sorely  stricken  man. 

Then  Gridley  was  riding  out  a  great  deal  just  now, 
spending  some  hours  each  evening  in  town,  following 
some  strange  bent  that  had  seized  him  and  spurred  him 
to  almost  feverish  activity.  Mack  had  come  and  had 
a  conference — a  long  one — with  his  invalid  and  sorrow- 
ing subaltern,  and  had  gone  with  eyes  suspiciously  moist. 
Other  officers — many — had  called  and  left  their  cards. 
Letters  and  certain  telegrams  had  been  received  from 
the  far  East.  Warren  had  said  that,  physically,  Mr. 
Langham  would  speedily  be  well  enough  to  travel,  if  not 


184  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

to  resume  duty.  Mentally  it  might  be  months  before 
he  would  be  himself  again.  Briggs  had  a  long  talk 
with  Langham,  and  he,  too,  had  come  forth  look- 
ing almost  lachrymose,  but,  to  the  mingled  despair 
and  exasperation  of  his  wife,  "  with  those  jaws 
of  his  clamped  shut  tighter  than  ever."  Some  impor- 
tant paper  signed  by  Langham,  after  a  long  confer- 
ence in  which  the  colonel,  adjutant,  surgeon,  and 
Gridley  had  taken  part,  had  been  forwarded,  sealed, 
to  department  headquarters,  and  no  clerk  had  seen  the 
missive.  Mr.  Briggs  had  personally  briefed  and  then 
endorsed  it  for  the  colonel's  signature,  but  the  colonel's 
pencil  memorandum  for  that  endorsement  had  been  torn 
into  minute  fragments  and  cast  to  the  winds.  A  space 
in  the  endorsement-book,  ink-lined  off,  showed  the  date 
of  the  communication,  the  name  and  rank  of  writer,  but 
both  purport  and  copy  of  endorsement  were  yet  to  be 
recorded.    This  was  rough  on  the  clerks. 

Then  one  wonderful  day  Gridley  came  riding  out  from 
town,  followed  by  a  trooper  uncomfortably  bobbing  on 
Langham's  English  saddle  girthed  snugly  to  Champion, 
restored  in  one  sense,  but  by  no  means  in  all;  for  the 
rough  life  of  the  range,  no  grooming,  no  sifte-d,  sorted 
oats,  no  equine  luxuries  of  any  kind,  followed  by  a  jolting 
railway  ride  of  over  one  hundred  miles,  had  told  upon  his 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  185 

spirits.  The  reunited  steeds,  however,  neighed  raptur- 
ously as  the  stable  door  was  opened  and  then  nuzzled 
each  other  over  the  plank  partition.  And  Kitty  Belden 
surveyed  the  scene  from  the  back  of  her  shaggy  pony 
and  went  in  to  pat  them  both,  and  then  came  walking 
thoughtfully  away,  James  the  Silent  towering  beside 
her. 

"  Pardon  me  for  asking  you  this.  Miss  Kitty,"  he 
began  abruptly,  "  but  was  it  your  mother  or  your  father 
who  disapproved  your  riding  Gordon  ?  " 

*'  It  was  mother.    She  did  not  wish  father  to  know." 

"  To  know  I  had  asked  you  to  ride  him  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Kitty. 

There  was  silence  a  moment.  "  The  pony  is  too  small 
for  you  now,"  said  he,  as  they  neared  the  gateway  at 
the  rear  of  the  line  of  quarters.  "  And  you  rode  Cham- 
pion so  well.  He  or  Gordon,  either,  would  now  be  the 
better  for  your  riding  him.  I  think — I'll  speak  to  your 
father." 

"  I  wish,"  said  Kitty,  "  you  would." 

There  was  something  Gridley  wished  to  ascertain  and 
Belden,  if  he  knew,  would  not  be  apt  to  tell,  and  Mrs. 
Belden,  if  Gridley  knew  her,  would  be  only  too  glad  to, 
so  Gridley  took  the  first  opportunity  of  speaking  to  that 
lady,  and  he  had  not  long  to  wait.    She  was  seated  on  the 


186  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

piazza  as  he  came  forth  attired  for  dress  parade,  all  blue 
and  buttons,  gilt  and  glaring  yellow.  It  was  not  yet  time 
to  join  his  men.  He  turned  squarely  to  the  right,  marched 
straight  into  Belden's  gateway  and,  bowing  civilly  to  the 
astonished  lady,  said :  "  Mrs.  Belden,  I  have  asked  Miss 
Kitty  to  ride  Gordon  or  Champion  every  day.  I  infer 
you  have  objection.     Is  it  so? 

"  Why — yes,  Mr.  Gridley — since  you  ask,  I  have." 

"  Any  other  objection  than  that  you  did  not  wish  her 
to  ride  Mr.  Langham's  horses  ?  "  And  now  this  most 
unconventional  and  untamable  savage  had  the  audacity 
to  stand  looking  unblushing  into  her  indignant  face. 

"  I  never  told — her — why  I  objected,"  replied  the  lady, 
with  rising  color. 

"  You  never  had  to,  perhaps.  But,  is  there  ? "  he 
insisted. 

"  I  think  that  one  objection  quite  enough,  Mr.  Grid- 
ley,"  said  she   severely. 

"  Then  forget  it,  Mrs.  Belden,"  said  he.  "  The  horses 
are  not  Mr.  Langham's,  but  mine." 

Before  she  could  recover,  out  came  the  captain,  garbed 
likewise  for  parade,  and  before  he  could  speak  Gridley 
had  spoken: 

"  We've  been  talking  horse,  captain.  I've  asked  Miss 
Kitty  to  ride  Gordon,  and  Champion,  too,  when  he's  in 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  187 

trim  again.  Mrs.  Belden  has  no  objection  now.  I  hope 
you  approve." 

"  It  is  kind  of  you,  Gridley,"  said  Belden  guardedly. 
**  I'm  aware  Kitty  has  rather  outgrown  pony.  And  it's 
very  kind  of  Langham." 

''  Langham  always  said,  and  so  does  the  colonel,  that 
Miss  Kitty  rides  better  than  any  of  us.  I'm  glad  it's 
settled.  Good-evening."  And  lifting  his  plumed  helmet 
— the  fashion  of  the  American  land  service  in  such  mat- 
ters being  contrary  to  that  of  the  European — or  of  the 
sea — Mr.  Gridley  stalked  away. 

"  Did  you  hear  what  he  said — that  the  horses  were 
his  ?  "  demanded  Mrs.  Belden,  while  her  husband  stood 
gazing  thoughtfully  after  the  tall,  spare,  sinewy  form. 

"  I  did,  but Ah,  good  evening,  Mrs.  Sparker." 

This  to  the  lady  just  issuing  from  the  adjacent  doorway, 
and  Mrs.  Belden  had  to  wait. 

It  was  a  sight  worth  seeing.  Kitty  Belden  in  her 
jaunty,  trim-fitting  habit,  guiding  Gordon  into  garrison 
the  following  day,  sitting  him  like  a  queen,  controlling 
his  springy,  spirited  movements  with  the  lightest  touch 
of  the  curb,  with  the  clear,  soothing  tone  of  her  voice. 
Forth  from  Langham's  doorway  to  meet  her  came  Mr. 
Gridley,  who  stood  at  Gordon's  head  and  stroked  his 
glossy  neck  and  looked  up  in  her  beaming,  beautiful. 


188  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

happ3'  face  and  smiled  his  grim,  humorous  smile;  then 
ducked  his  head  over  his  shoulder  toward  the  door. 
And  there,  very  pale,  very  languid  still,  supported  by 
the  attendant  on  one  side  and  a  stout  cane  on  the  other, 
there  stood  Mr.  Langham,  and  in  loose-fitting,  cool,  civil- 
ian dress  Mr.  Langham  came  slowly  forward,  a  gleam 
of  sunshine  in  his  sad  and  sallow  face.  The  color  rushed 
to  her  brows;  the  light  flashed  in  her  eyes.  They  met 
at  the  little  gateway,  a  dozen  people  seeing  and  scarcely 
believing.  The  thin  white  hand  went  up  to  meet  and  be 
welcomed  by  the  warm  little  gauntlet,  and  Gridley  held 
Gordon  by  the  bit  and  sought  to  moderate  the  transports 
with  which  he  was  pawing  up  the  gravel  of  the  sidewalk, 
but  no  one  tame  to  chide.  And  all  that  evening^  Kitty 
Belden  hovered  about  her  father,  far  too  blissful  for 
words,  yet  telling  herself  and  him  it  was  all  because  of 
Gordon. 

Two  days  later  she  was  standing  in  front  of  Langham's 
gate,  having  just  dismounted  after  a  glorious  and  exhil- 
arating gallop.  Gordon  was  dancing  and  sidling  away 
to  his  stable,  almost  lifting  his  groom  along  with  him, 
as  he  clung  to  the  bit  with  both  hands.  The  groom  was  a 
trooper  and  "  twice  the  heft  of  Fox,"  said  the  men  who 
looked  laughingly  on,  but  he  hadn't  Fox's  '*  horse  sense  " 
and   both   horses   knew   it.     Gridley,   who   had   whimsi- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  189 

cally  asked  her  to  dismount  there  and  escort  him  to  her 
father's  door,  he  being  their  guest  at  dinner,  left  her  for 
a  moment  with  Langham,  while  he  went  within  on  some 
specious  plea.  She  was  growing  quite  tall  for  such  a 
slip  of  a  girl  of  sixteen,  and  in  her  habit,  with  its  straight 
military  collar,  cut  high  and  very  like  that  of  Langham's 
own  Gotham-made  uniform,  she  looked  her  years,  a  mat- 
ter that  gave  her  keen  delight  and  her  mother  much  dis- 
may. In  love  and  loyalty  to  her  father's  corps  and  regi- 
ment, she  had  obtained  tiny  crossed  rifles  in  gilt  and  had 
herself  stitched  them  to  the  collar,  but  between  them  and 
the  hooked  edges  at  the  front  were  two  vacant  spaces, 
and  she  saw  that  he  had  remarked  it. 

*'  The  letters  are  coming,"  she  was  saying,  as  Grldley 
turned  away.  "  I  didn't  quite  like  those  at  the  ex- 
change." 

"  Yes,"  answered  Langham  thoughtfully.  "  It  should 
be  complete,  and  I  hope  you  may  wear  them  many  a 
year  and — ride  my  old  pets  regularly.  It  is  to  be  Cham- 
pion to-morrow,  is  it  not?" 

*'  Yes,  Mr.  Langham."  She  was  looking  at  him  wist- 
fully, wondering  that  he  should  still  speak  as  though 
he  might  not  ride  for  many  a  day.  He  seemed  so  very 
sad  and  grave,  yet  he  was  surely  better  and  stronger.  He 
needed  no  attendant  now.     He  had  been  taken  to  drive 


190  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

that  very  afternoon.  There  was  something  she  so  much 
wanted  to  say  to  him,  yet  the  words  would  not  come, 
and  Gridley  did,  and  she  had  to  go  with  him,  and  to  bid 
Langham  good-night. 

The  Beldens  were  "  dining  "  several  people  that  even- 
ing, one  of  those  garrison  functions  that  cannot  well  be 
avoided,  yet  might  be  abolished.  Mrs.  Belden  had  insisted 
that  their  social  debts  be  paid,  even  if  it  had  to  be  done 
piecemeal.  This  was  the  third  since  Easter  and  was  to 
be  the  last,  and  Belden  stood  sturdily  to  it  that  Gridley 
should  be  bidden  and  Mrs.  Belden  sighed  and  obeyed. 
Kitty,  though  sixteen,  had  never  yet  been  included  on 
such  occasions,  Mrs.  Belden  clinging  to  the  last  to  her 
youth  and  illusions.  Kitty  was  to  take  tea  at  the  War- 
rens', to  the  great  joy  of  the  youngsters.  It  was  after 
ten  when  she  came  home  and  all  save  Gridley  were  at 
cards.  He  had  been  "  sent  for,"  said  her  mother  sharply. 
At  eleven,  when  her  guests  were  gone  and  the  lady  of 
the  house  came  vvearily  aloft,  she  stopped  as  usual  at 
Kitty's  little  white  bed  to  kiss  her  daughter  good-night. 
"  I  never  saw  anyone  so  solemn  and  dull  and  poky  as 
that  owl  Gridley,"  said  she.  "  But  your  father  would 
have  him.  It  was  like  lifting  a  wet  blanket  when  he 
was  called  away.  Why  was  he  sent  for?  Do  you 
know?" 


'  -r^, 


g^—^^safr,. 


"^^  Iv'f 


4^\ 


'^W 


t 


"The  i.id  fle^v  open  at  her  toik  h" 


GQJMRADES  IN  ARMS  191 

Kitty  did  not  know.  She  rode  as  usual  next  after- 
noon, and  came  home  around  by  the  east  gate  that  Mr. 
Langham  might  again  see  how  fine  Champion  looked, 
but  the  door  was  closed.  Neither  Gridley  nor  Langham 
appeared,  and  wondering  and  a  little  hurt  and  much  dis- 
appointed, she  rode  on,  passing  through  the  lane  to  the 
rear  of  the  quarters,  and  there  dismounting  and  scurrying 
to  her  room.  A  little  packet  lay  on  her  dressing  table, 
addressed  to  her  in  Langham's  hand.  Wondering  more 
she  tore  it  open  and  a  card  dropped  out — his  caid,  with 
these  words  written  on  the  back : 

Wear  them  whenever  you  ride  and  don't  let  Gordon  quite 
forget.  W.  P.  B.  L. 

Quickly  she  tore  away  the  tissue  paper.  A  little  jewel 
box  appeared ;  the  lid  flew  open  at  her  touch,  and  there, 
on  their  dark  blue  velvet  cushion,  were  the  twin  block 
letter  collar  devices,  each  U.  S.  and  its  fastening  in  solid 
gold — the  very  ornaments  he  had  always  worn  on  his 
fatigue  uniform.  Bewildered,  troubled,  she  looked  about 
her.  A  quick  footfall  was  on  the  stairs ;  a  moment,  and 
her  father  stood  at  the  door.  .He  was  just  from  drill  and 
drawing  off  his  gloves.  Without  a  word  she  held  her 
prize  out  to  him  with  the  little  card.    He  read : 

"  Yes,  poor  Langham,"  he  slowly  said.     **  His  resig- 


192  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

nation  was  accepted  by  wire  last  night.     Gridley  has 

gone  with  him." 

"  Resigned !     Gone !  "  she  cried.     "  Oh— oh,  Daddy !  " 
He  sprang  to  and  shut  the  door.    Then,  with  one  sob, 

*'  My  own  Httle  girl,  I  ought  to  have  known/'  caught 

her  in  his  arms. 


CHAPTER    XIV 

A    NEW    ARREST. 

IT  seems  that  the  manner  of  Langham's  going  had 
been  planned  by  Gridley  and  approved  by  Colonel 
Mack.  Gridley,  granted  seven  days'  leave,  was  to 
accompany  him  all  the  way  to  the  Atlantic  sea- 
board. Gridley's  leave  was  to  be  extended  thirty  days 
or  three  months  if  he  wished — it  was  the  first  he  had 
ever  taken.  Langham's  belongings  were  left  in  charge 
of  the  adjutant,  some  to  be  distributed  at  the  post,  some 
to  be  packed  and  sent  after  him,  some  to  be  sold  in  town, 
but  Langham  was  still  too  feeble,  physically,  and  far  too 
sad  to  stand  the  strain  of  saying  good-by.  The  matter 
of  his  resignation  had  been  discussed  in  full  by  Mack 
and  Gridley  and  Briggs,  and  though  opposed  at  first 
by  the  colonel  and  his  adjutant,  was  finally  and  fully 
approved.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Langham  had  been  fol- 
lowed by  the  announcement  that  her  affairs  were  found  in 
strange  confusion,  and  though  she  who  was  known  to  have 
possessed  abundant  means,  had  died,  so  said  her  trusted 
agent  and  business  manager,  almost  penniless.  Asked 
for  explanation,  the  agent,  a  gifted  and  brilliant  lawyer, 

193 


194  COMRADES  iN  ARMS 

declared  that  of  late  years  Mrs.  Langham  had  developed 
an  insatiable  mania  for  speculation,  and  against  his 
advice  and  entreaty  had,  one  after  another,  sold  out  her 
securities  and  investments  for  cash  with  which  to  meet 
the  demands  of  her  brokers.  Who  were  her  brokers? 
The  agent  did  not  know.  But  speedily  again  it  was 
rumored  that  there  were  few  brokers  that  did  not  know 
her  agent — a  man  so  widely  esteemed  and  respected  that 
in  m'any  a  will  he  had  been  named  as  trustee  for  the 
widow  and  the  fatherless,  in  many  a  noble  charity  he 
had  been  chosen  treasurer,  and  at  least  in  one  church 
and  Sunday  school  he  had  long  stood  as  pillar,  leader, 
and  financial  adviser.  A  charming  home,  a  lovely  fam- 
ily, had  he.  A  blameless,  beautiful  life  led  he  so  far  as 
the  church  and  society  knew;  but  there  were  hard- 
headed,  graceless,  Godless,  sordid  men  of  mammon  irrev- 
erent enough  to  say  that  the  piety  of  this  particular  pillar 
was  not  even  skin  deep,  and  that  the  kith  and  kin  of  other 
widows  would  be  wise  to  investigate  him.  Then  it 
was  found  that  the  gentleman  had  sudden  business  in 
Montreal,  but  all  should  be  open  to  his  impertinent  and 
importunte  investigators  on  his  return,  the  following 
week.  (That  return  was  only  compassed  long  months 
after  by  way  of  Central  America  and  extradition  proceed- 
ings, after  which  came  the  statutory  sojourn  at  Sing 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  195 

Sing.  But  this  is  anticipating.)  Old  friends  of  Lang- 
ham's  father  and  mother  had  levied  on  certain  of  the 
"  savings"  of  the  self-exiled,  and  Langham  was  needed 
in  person. 

Here  lay,  then,  the  sorrowful  secret — the  skeleton  in 
the  family  closet  that  for  long  months  had  worried  Pitt 
Langham  to  the  verge  of  nervous  prostration.  His  poor 
mother's  faith  in  her  adviser  and  business  manager,  her 
husband's  old  familiar  friend,  had  been  childlike  and 
implicit.  Pitt  himself,  until  toward  the  last,  had  never 
suspected  him,  and  now  he  was  gone,  a  fugitive  from 
justice,  and  the  church  and  Sunday  school,  pious  and 
proper  Society,  and  robbed  and  defrauded  w^omen  and 
children  by  scores  were  mourning  his  downfall. 

It  was  hard  on  Langham.  He  loved  his  profession. 
He  had  come  with  high  hope  and  resolve  to  his  new 
regiment,  and  now  within  six  months  had  found  it  neces- 
sary to  abandon  all.  The  little  reported  left  of  his 
mother's  estate  would  not  begin  to  cover  his  debts,  her 
debts,  and  provide  for  the  regular  payment  of  certain 
sums  to  certain  dependents  and  kindred  of  the  father 
so  long  in  his  grave.  His  will  had  left  this  duty  to  her 
and,  after  her,  to  the  son,  and  ample  means  from 
which  to  make  the  payments.  There  had  been  good 
reason  for  so  demising  instead  of  willing  a  lump  suxp 


196  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

to  each,  and  now  the  bereft  were  clamoring  for  their 
quarterly  stipend.  Energy  and  good  management  might 
enable  the  son  to  recover  sufficient  to  meet  all  these 
just  claims,  but  he  must  quit  the  army  and  take  up 
the  burden.  Even  Mack  and  Briggs  saw  that  Gridley 
was  right  when  Gridley  said  it  was  the  only  thing  for 
Langham  to  do. 

And  so  without  a  word  to  anyone  he  was  gone,  and 
Fort  Minneconjou  was  to  know  him  no  more.  About 
the  only  message  left  was  to  Kitty  Belden,  but  this  came 
through  Gridley.  Gordon  and  Champion  were  hers  to 
care  for  and  exercise  until  Gridley  should  return;  his 
soldier  groom  was  so  instructed  and  Baker  had  promised 
to  see  that  the  soldier  did  his  duty. 

Baker  still  presided  at  the  bachelors'  mess,  where  Spar- 
ker  showed  less  frequently  and  where  Crabbe  quite  regu- 
larly appeared  in  his  usual  place.  A  species  of  truce  had 
been  patched  up  by  disinterested  associates  of  Baker  and 
the  aggrieved  lieutenant.  Baker  expressed  his  regret  at 
having  harbored  unjust,  if  not  unjustifiable,  suspicions, 
and  having  made  an  unwarrantable  charge.  This  Crabbe 
somewhat  awkwardly  accepted.  Crabbe  took  the  seat  on 
the  major's  left  at  dinner  that  day,  and  the  two  conversed 
with  obvious  effort,  and  thereafter  greeted  each  other  with 
much  solemnity  of  mien,  for  there  was  no  bridging  over 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  197 

the  antipathy.  Baker  still  deemed  Crabbe  a  sneak,  and 
Crabbe  thought  Baker  a  snob.  Neither  could  or  would 
as  yet  hazard  a  reasonable  theory  as  to  how  the  Loyal 
Legion  insignia  happened  to  be  found  at  the  fords.  In 
his  innermost  soul  Crabbe  believed  that  Baker  had  picked 
it  up  in  the  dressing  room  and,  instead  of  restoring  it, 
had  carried  it  to  and  hidden  it  there,  and  then  "found  it" 
in  the  sands  of  the  Minneconjou.  He  knew  that  in  this 
belief  he  would  stand  alone.  Of  Langham  they  did  not 
speak  at  all.  His  name  was  often  mentioned  in  low- 
toned  chat,  in  little  groups  of  two  or  three,  but  seldom 
referred  to,  and  then  only  with  constraint,  in  open  mess 
or  meeting.  It  was  conceded  that  he  had  "done  the  only 
thing  proper  under  the  circumstances,"  but  there  were 
still  varying  theories  as  to  the  real  cause  of  his  going — • 
Crabbe  and  one  or  two  fellow  mental  molluscs  preferring 
to  believe  that  it  was  to  escape  court-martial  and  dis- 
grace. But  Crabbe  was  now  a  hopeful  candidate  for 
the  adjutancy,  vice  Briggs,  slated  for  promotion.  Crabbe 
held  that  the  colonel  was  bound  to  appoint  him,  if  only 
to  make  partial  amends  for  his  recent  arrest  and  humilia- 
tion, and  therefore  Crabbe  could  not  safely  say  what  he 
so  surely  thought.  Aspirants  for  the  adjutancy  should 
of  all  things  learn  self-repression. 

Tongues  were  loosened  a  bit  by  Gridley's  absence, 


198  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

though  there  were  still  Baker,  Field,  and  Shannon  to  be 
considered  in  case  any  fellow  felt  tempted  to  say  satiri- 
cal things,  and  some  few  fellows  so  felt.  Everybody 
knew  by  this  time  that  it  was  Gridley  who  had  stepped 
in  and  taken  up  every  one  of  Langham's  drafts,  notes, 
or  bills  presented  for  collection  through  Bullard's  bank. 
Everybody  knew  that  his  economy  or  parsimony,  as  some 
called  it,  had  enabled  him  to  save  quite  a  section  of  his 
pay.  Baker  knew  that  he  had  made  judicious  invest- 
ments, and  several  knew  that  he  had  a  little  balance  to  his 
credit  at  Eullard's  and  a  bigger  one  somewhere  else. 
And  now,  with  Langham,  he  was  gone  to  the  far  East 
and  might  not  be  back  for  a  month.  "  His  troop  will  miss 
him,"  said  Baker,  "  and  so  shall  I." 

One  question  not  asked  aloud,  either  at  mess  or  along 
the  row,  was  none  the  less  whispered  in  many  a  con- 
fidential chat  about  the  post.  It  w^as  an  open  question  in 
town.  Was  not  Mrs.  BuUard  aware  of  Langham's  pros- 
pective eastward  flitting?  And  this  question  had  led  to 
others.  If  so,  was  it  not  to  join  him  that  she  had  threat- 
ened to  leave?  Was  it  not  to  prevent  her  going  with 
Langham  that  Bullard  had  forcibly  borne  his  wife  away 
to  the  mines  ?  Women,  as  well  as  women  in  the  garb  of 
men,  wished  they  could  interview  that  injured  young 
person  Prim,  the  English  lady's  maid.     It  was  a  pity 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  199 

that  she  had  been  allowed  to  get  away  before  revealing 
what  she  knew,  but  Prim  had  shaken  the  dust  of  Silver 
Hill  from  her  straining  shoe  leather  and  departed.  Bul- 
lard's  clerk  had  engaged  her  berth  and  seen  her  started 
for  Chicago.  Two  months'  wages,  it  was  said,  represented 
but  a  moiety  of  what  she  carried  and  what  stood  charged 
to  Bullard's  personal  account. 

Then  there  was  another  matter  Silver  Hill  and  Minne- 
conjou  both  had  pondered  over  not  a  little.  That  Indian 
scare  had  "  petered  out "  in  such  a  feeble  fashion.  As 
many  as  two  score  and  ten  young  braves  had  been  out 
hunting,  said  their  friends — had  been  seen  as  far  over 
as  the  Belle  Fourche ;  had  been  scouting  the  ranches  and 
ranges,  even  as  far  as  Crow  Creek.  But  all  on  a  sudden 
they  had  scurried  for  home  before  levying  tribute  or  com- 
mitting depredation  of  any  kind.  All  on  a  sudden,  as 
has  been  said,  they  had  got  wind  of  something  that  sent 
them  to  the  right  about,  one  band,  the  Brules  presum- 
ably, had  in  wide  circuit  passed  east  of  Silver  Hill,  Shan- 
non's little  party  in  hot  pursuit.  Another,  the  Ogallallas 
these,  had  broken  through  the  spur  of  the  Sagamore 
northwest  of  the  fort  and  taken  the  shortest  way  back  to 
their  bailiwick.  Now,  no  sooner  had  it  been  whispered 
that  "  the  reds  are  out "  than  all  save  the  most  decrepit 
of  the  loafing  half-breeds  about  Silver  Hill  had  taken 


200  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

flight.  Two  of  these,  Le  Gros  and  P't'i  Loup,  his  guile- 
less nephew,  came  into  town  one  evening  just  long 
enough  to  have  some  brief  talk  with  Bullard;  then  out 
they  had  gone  again,  and  it  was  remembered  that  the 
day  the  raid  was  first  reported,  and  cowboys  and  settlers 
came  spurring  in  to  say  there  were  dozens  of  "  reds  "  in 
the  upper  valley,  Bullard  had  sent  at  once  for  Le  Gros 
and  Loup,  and,  after  ten  minutes'  talk  behind  closed  doors, 
together  the  two  had  galloped  away  to  the  northward. 
Now  they  could  not  be  found  at  all,  and  rumor  connected 
them  in  some  way  with  the  sudden  panic  that  drove  the 
Indians  back  to  their  lodges  and  the  startling  abduction 
that  sent  Mrs.  Bullard,  an  unwilling  prisoner,  away  to 
the  wilds,  her  husband  in  charge.  From  Mrs.  Bullard, 
even  to  her  friend  Mrs.  Lawrence,  not  a  word  or  line 
had  come  direct.  To  Mrs.  Bullard,  both  Mrs.  Lawrence 
and  Mr.  Gridley  had  written  urgently,  but  they  doubted 
much  that  the  missives  would  ever  be  allowed  to  reach 
her. 

One  other  thing  had  happened  about  this  time  that 
gave  new  fuel  to  the  flame  of  talk.  Fox,  the  abductor 
of  Champion  and  the  would-be  slayer  of  his  master, 
had  actually  been  released  from  custody,  and  this,  it 
,was  said,  on  Langham's  motion,  as  Langham  declared 
he    would    never    prosecute    him.     Fox    had    been    his 


I 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  201 

mother's  *'  tiger "  in  days  when  she  drove  her  basket 
phaeton,  with  her  beloved  boy  seated  by  her  side.  Blos- 
som swore  magnificently  when  notified  of  Langham's 
decision,  but  all  the  blasphemy  in  his  vocabulary,  which 
was  profuse,  could  avail  nothing  now.  Fox  was  free, 
and,  it  was  reported,  was  gone  to  Chicago  for  the  summer 
horse  show.  The  station  agent  said  he  was  aboard  a  train 
within  an  hour  of  his  release  from  durance,  everything 
evidently  having  been  planned  before.  Now  this  was 
treating  an  interested  community  more  than  shabbily, 
yet  even  the  Chronicle,  Bullard's  presumed  organ  and 
possession,  made  no  adverse  comment.  Within  the  scope 
of  a  single  week  every  man  and  almost  every  woman 
who  knezv  anything  definite  of  Mrs.  Bullard,  of  her  occa- 
sional meetings  in  town  or  afield  wdth  Mr.  Langham, 
had  taken  wings  and  leave  of  Silver  Hill.  Prim,  Jen- 
nings, Fox,  Jean  le  Gross,  and  P't'i  Loup  all  were  gone, 
the  half-breeds  had  followed  the  full-bloods.  It  was 
rumored  there  w^as  famous  gambling  in  full  blast  at  the 
reservation.  And  this  was  the  situation  along  and  about 
the  Minneconjou  Valley  some  days  after  Langham  left 
and  when  the  next  sensation  came. 

July  was  then  a  week  old.  It  was  Kitty  Belden's 
birthday.  The  Macks  were  giving  a  dinner  in  her  honor. 
Seventeen  years  had  she  lived  now  under  the  shadow 


202  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

of  the  flag  and  within  the  sentry  Hnes  of  the  2 — th.  Mrs. 
Mack  had  abated  not  one  jot  her  genuine  and  loyal  affec- 
tion for  this  winsome  daughter  of  the  regiment,  though 
her  impecunious  guests  and  kindred,  the  Cullins,  were 
less  enthusiastic — Flo,  because  her  somewhat  gushing 
temperament  found  no  response  in  Kitty's  deeper  nature 
and  maidenly  reserve ;  Mrs.  Cullin  because  her  motherly 
heart  went  sore  over  the  fact  that  her  prosperous  sister 
should  see  so  very  much  to  rave  about  in  Kitty,  and  so 
little  worth  mention  in  her  artless  Flo.  Mack  himself, 
having  no  daughter  of  his  own,  should  have  accorded  to 
Flora,  argued  Mrs.  Cullin,  all  the  affection,  and  concomi- 
tants, he  would  have  lavished  on  a  child  of  his  flesh  and 
blood;  whereas  it  was  obvious  that  Mack  the. -jht  far 
more  of  Kitty,  who,  said  Mrs.  Cullin,  was  nothing  to 
him  whatever,  and  narrowly  escaped  saying  "  at  all  at 
all.'*  The  sisters  were  never  uncontrollably  Celtic  until 
they  waxed  overexcited;  then  blood  would  tell.  Mrs. 
Mack  excused  her  liege  lord's  apparent  lack  of  appre- 
ciation of  her  sister's  offspring  by  saying  Mack  had 
known  Kitty  almost  from  her  baby  days,  but  Mrs.  Cul- 
lin could  not  be  readily  placated.  She  found  very  much, 
therefore,  that  was  reprehensible  in  Kitty  Belden's  bring- 
ing up.  She  had  had  very  much  to  say  about  so  young  a 
girl's  being  permitted  to  ride  alone  with  certain  officers — 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  203 

young  girl's  heads  were  so  apt  to  be  turned  by  the  silly 
things  young  men  were  sure  to  say. 

*'  Do  they  say  'em  to  Flo?  "  demanded  Mrs.  Mack,  well 
knowing  they  did  not  and  why. 

"  They  don't,  because  Flo  has  been  properly  brought 
up,  and  has  too  much  dignity,"  said  Mrs.  Cullin,  in  appro- 
priate reply.  Mrs.  Cullin  had  made  much,  very  much, 
of  the  strange  fact  that  Mrs.  Bullard  so  desired  to  see 
and  question  Kitty  the  day  after  the  mysterious  assault 
on  Mr.  Langham.  Indeed  it  must  be  owned  that  many 
other  women  were  somewhat  similarly  impressed,  pos- 
sibly because  Mrs.  Cullin,  in  telling  of  it,  laid  such  stress 
upon  the  incident.  "  What  could  Kitty  Belden  possibly 
or  properly  know  concerning  Mr.  Langham  that  Mrs. 
Bullard  could  so  earnestly  desire  to  hear?"  was  the  oft 
repeated  demand.  Kitty  Belden,  it  will  be  remembered, 
had  not  attended  the  dance.  It  was  her  mother's  dictum 
that  Kitty  should  not  go  to  "  grown-up  dances  "  until 
she  was  a  young  lady,  and  that,  so  Mrs.  Belden  would 
have  people  believe,  was  a  much  longer  way  off  than 
Kitty's  face  and  form  would  indicate.  Kitty  had  been 
riding  the  very  day  of  "  Hardtack's  "  arrival  and  that  of 
the  hapless  quarrel  at  the  mess — riding  well  out  south- 
eastwards,  across  the  Minneconjou,  for  Mrs.  Bullard, 
driving  out  with  friends  from  town  to  witness  the  review, 


204  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

had  seen  her  scampering  along  the  springy  "  bench  "  be- 
yond the  stream.  Kitty  had  for  many  weeks  deHghted  in 
watching  Mrs.  Bullard  dance  and  waltz  and  "  tennis  " 
and  even  ride,  though  in  that  accomplishment  Kitty  had  no 
rival  in  the  valley.  But  Kitty's  interest  had  changed 
to  avoidance,  though  she  would  say  no  word,  and  so 
it  happened  that  when  (a  few  days  after  Langham's 
misadventure  and  Kitty's  reappearance  on  the  piazza 
and  on  pony-back)  it  was  quite  possible  for  Mrs.  Bullard 
to  see  and  question  her,  the  question  was  never  asked. 
In  some  other  way,  perhaps,  the  lady  had  discovered 
what  she  sought  to  know,  and  now,  when  at  last  Kitty 
would  shyly  and  confidingly,  perhaps,  have  spoken  with 
her,  Mrs.  Bullard  was  miles  away. 

A  sore  little  heart  was  this  that  be<it  in  Kitty's  breast, 
the  soft  July  evening  of  the  colonel's  dinner.  There  was 
to  be  a  garrison  dance  at  the  hall  that  evening,  no 
"  grown-ups  "  bidden  from  beyond  the  sentry  lines,  juot 
the  lads  and  lassies  of  Minneconjou  and  their  own  elders, 
all  because  Kitty  was  seventeen  and  Kitty's  mother  v.ould 
have  done  nothing  to  mark  the  day.  There  were  those, 
indeed,  who  thought  the  colonel  showed  a  spirit  of  mali- 
cious mischief  in  the  matter;  that  in  pleasing  Kitty  and 
delighting  her  father  he  was  tormenting  Mrs.  Belden. 
Perhaps  he  was.     Mrs.  Belden  was  set  against  it  from 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  J£05 

the  start,  saying  Kitty  had  "  had  far  too  much  nerve 
strain  and  excitement  during  the  past  two  months,"  but 
Belden,  believing  and  fondly  hoping  it  might  do  Kitty 
good  and,  as  he  whispered  to  his  inner  consciousness, 
"  take  her  out  of  herself,"  had  as  strenuously  argued  in 
favor  of  the  plan.  Kitty,  could  she  have  declined  with- 
out remark,  would  gladly  have  escaped  it  all,  but  there 
was  now  a  sorrow  that  must  be  hidden  from  everyone, 
even  Daddy,  and  with  all  loyal  show  of  gratitude  and 
every  effort  to  be  gay,  she  had  accepted  and  was  doing 
her  best. 

Dinner  was  over  by  nine  o'clock  and  the  dance  begun 
before  call  to  quarters  was  sounding  on  the  night.  The 
bandsmen  were  playing  their  prettiest  because  it  was  for 
Kitty,  the  captain's  winsome  child ;  Kitty,  the  daughter 
of  the  regiment,  and  for  Kitty  the  2 — th  to  a  man  would 
do  everything  that  was  daring  and  devoted.  There  were 
sergeants  in  the  line  who  had  trundled  her  in  her  baby 
carriage,  and  had  even  borne  her  in  their  sturdy  arms. 
They  and  some  of  the  regimental  wives  and  mothers 
and  children  were  peering  in  at  the  windows,  even  as  the 
sentry  started  the  shout  half-past  ten.  There  had  been  a 
dinner  at  the  mess,  too,  that  evening,  given  to  certain 
brother  officers  from  Meade  and  Niobrara,  and  while  they 
and  most  of  the  elders  of  the  mess  were  still  lingering 


^06  COMRADEb  IN  ARMS 

over  the  cigars  and  chat,  the  Scotch  and  soda,  the  young 
bachelors  were  all  at  Kitty's  dance,  and  with  them,  some- 
what unlooked  for,  though  of  course  invited — Mr. 
Crabbe. 

Crabbe  had  been  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  dancers 
— perhaps  the  best — in  the  regiment  until  Langham  came, 
and  to-night  Crabbe  was  there  to  reassume  his  title. 
He  had  not  been  sparing  with  the  champagne  at  dinner. 
He  had  reinforced  its  stimulus  with  occasional  nips  of 
the  colonel's  capital  punch,  and,  as  the  list  of  dances  was 
now  well-nigh  finished,  he  stood  flushed  with  the  sense 
of  exhilaration  and  triumph,  after  a  delightful  turn  with 
a  most  proficient  waltzer — Mrs.  Briggs — when  Kitty 
Belden,  all  in  shimmering,  gossamer  white  went  floating, 
circling  by,  barely  supported  by  Shannon's  entwining 
arm.  It  had  been  an  evening  of  manifold  delights  to 
her.  Everyone  had  been  cordial  and  kind.  Even  Mrs. 
Cullin  had  smiled.  The  colonel  and  his  wife  had  over- 
whelmed her  with  compliment  and  congratulation;  so 
for  that  matter  had  the  young  gallants,  and  with  reason, 
as  they  could  not  but  remark,  for  in  a  single  month  the 
tall  slip  of  a  girl  had  blossomed  into  the  sweet  and  tender 
loveliness  of  youthful  womanhood.  All  on  a  sudden  it 
had  dawned  on  every  man  present  that  Kitty  Belden 
was  a  beauty.    ''  That  child  dances  like  a  dream,"  said 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  207 

Mrs.  Mack,  whose  own  dances  were  all  dreams  in  the 
sense  that  they  could  no  longer  be  realities. 

"  She  dances  as  she  rides,"  said  Mack,  who  knew  no 
higher  comparison,  and  Crabbe,  hearing  both  comments 
and  seeing  as  he  heard,  and  marveling  much  that  he 
had  never  seen  it  all  before,  and  being,  moreover,  in  over- 
confident and  exultant  mood,  marched  straightway  over 
to  where  she  now  stood  with  Shannon,  who,  plying  her 
fan,  was  looking  down  adoringly  into  her  sweet,  yet 
serious  face.  Crabbe  was  upon  them  before  either  was 
conscious  of  his  coming,  and  with  both  hands  extended, 
the  right  as  though  about  to  circle  her  waist,  the  left  in 
search  of  hers,  and  with  never  a  *'  by  your  leave "  to 
her  partner,  he  spoke  masterfully : 

**  I  must  have  one  turn.  Miss  Kitty.  It's  the  last  waltz, 
they  tell  me." 

Shannon  whirled  on  him,  with  a  scowl.  Kitty,  wincing 
as  though  stung,  glanced  up  with  something  like  terror 
in  her  eyes  and  shrank  from  the  contact  of  his  touch. 
It  was  all  done  in  an  instant,  yet  in  that  instant  Belden, 
the  father,  had  seen  it  all,  and  in  the  next  was  at  his 
daughter's  side.  He  knew,  and  was  the  only  man  who 
could  aid  or  interpose. 

"  One  minute,  Crabbe,"  he  said,  with  quick  but  cool 
decision,  and  the  gold  knot  on  his  left  shoulder  heaved 


^08  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

forcefully  between  the  subaltern  and  the  shrinking  girl. 
*'A  fond  paternal  had  been  waiting  just  two  hours  for 
this  very  turn.  It's  promised,  you  see."  And  Kitty  was 
sailing  away  on  her  father's  arm  before  the  sentence 
was  fairly  finished.  Belden  still  danced  gracefully  and 
well,  and  Kitty  had  ever  loved  to  dance  with  him,  yet 
never  so  gladly,  so  gratefully  as  at  this  moment.  "  Oh, 
Daddy,  how  splendid  of  you !  "  she  whispered.  "  But  I 
— I  must  dance  with  him — I  know  I  must !  "  Belden, 
too,  knew.  What  explanation  could  follow  her  refusal? 
Crabbe  was  an  officer  of  their  own  regiment,  neither 
honored  nor  liked,  it  was  true,  but  what  could  justify  a 
point-blank  refusal.  "  But — can  you  ?  "  murmured  Bel- 
den, his  eyes  anxiously  searching  her  paling,  downcast 
face.  Up  it  came  at  the  question,  pluck  and  deter- 
mination in  her  gaze.  She  even  smiled  over  her  white 
shoulder  toward  the  discomfited  officer  as  they  circled 
near.  "  Watch  me,"  she  whispered  fondly,  as  she 
pressed  her  father's  arm.  Another  moment  and  the  tire- 
less, tiny,  slender  feet  were  twinkling  to  the  spot  where 
Crabbe  and  Shannon  stood  at  gaze,  neither  as  yet  speak- 
ing to  the  other,  and  then,  winsome,  smiling,  even  almost 
radiant,  she  swung  from  the  captain's  arm  straight  to 
the  senior  subaltern's.  *'  I'm  honored  indeed,"  said  this 
arch  dissembler,  as   in  long,  graceful,  gliding  step  the 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  209 

two  went  circling  away  in  perfect  time  with  the  dreamy 
waltz  music,  leaving  Shannon  in  envious  admiration, 
Belden  in  amaze,  and  both  in  silence,  staring  after  them. 
That  night  it  dawned  on  Belden  that  his  precious  daugh- 
ter was  a  woman — a  woman  with  both  wit  and  will. 

Never  before  on  those  informal  occasions  when  the  few 
young  girls  of  the  garrison  were  present,  had  Mr. 
Crabbe  deigned  to  ask  Kitty  Belden  to  dance;  never,  in 
fact,  had  he  cared  to  notice  her.  This  night  he  looked 
upon  her  almost  in  fascination.  This  night,  never  dream- 
ing how  she  rebelled  at  heart  against  the  pressure  of  his 
arm,  the  near  presence  of  that  glistening  insignia  on 
his  breast,  he  found  himself  marveling  at  the  fairy 
lightness  of  her  step,  the  lissome  grace  of  her  slender 
form.  He  saw  that  many  an  eye  was  watching  them. 
He  knew  that  nowhere  did  he  appear  to  such  advan- 
tage as  in  the  dance.  Spare  and  somewhat  angular  as 
was  his  build,  he  had  strength  and  elasticity,  thorough 
control  and  admirable  idea  of  time  and  rhythm.  Elated, 
exultant,  overstimulated,  Crabbe  outdanced  himself  and 
overleaped  the  bounds  of  caution  or  convention.  The 
hot  blood  mounting  to  his  brain,  the  soft  tendrils  of  her 
sunny  hair  sweeping  his  cheek  and  his  face — downward 
bent  and  coveteous  of  the  slight,  involuntary  caress — 
the  faint  contact  of  the  graceful,  gliding  form,  all  served 


210  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

to  blind  his  eyes  to  new  conditions — to  some  new  stir 
and  movement  about  the  doorway,  and  to  steep  his  senses 
in  a  dream  of  conquest.  "  Kitty  Belden,"  he  murmured, 
with  a  world  of  meaning  in  his  tone,  "  do  you  realize 
that  you  are  simply — exquisite  to-night  ?  " 

The  next  instant  he  stood  alone,  and  the  room  was  reel- 
ing. With  sudden  force  she  had  thrust  him  from  her; 
had  slipped  from  his  clasp;  had  sprung  to  her  father's 
side,  gasping.  Belden  was  hurrying  toward  the  gather- 
ing group  at  the  doorway,  and,  glad  of  anything  to  hide 
her  rage,  her  vehement  agitation,  Kitty  seized  his  hand 
and  went  speeding  beside  him.  White,  scared  faces 
were  those  that  greeted  them.  Awe  and  consternation 
spoke  in  the  very  silence  that  had  replaced  the  babble 
of  the  moment  before.  Someone,  with  sudden  signal, 
had  checked  the  music,  and  only  scurrying  feet  for  the 
moment  could  be  heard.  Then  came  the  cause,  the  repe- 
tition of  the  few  dread  words : 

"  Amos  Bullard — shot  and  dying !  " 

"In  God's  name — who? — how?"  stammered  the 
colonel,  and  Baker,  bearer  of  the  news,  repHed: 

"I  don't  know,  but— they've  arrested — her/' 


CHAPTER    XV 

WHO   WAS   THE    WOMAN  ? 

A  UGUST.  Amos  Bullard  still  lived,  and  Eleanor 
A-%  Bullard,  his  wife,  who  for  a  time  had  stood  ac- 
cused of  shooting  him,  had  by  his  own  admission, 
given  in  faint,  gasping  whisper,  been  released  from  sur- 
veillance, if  not  placed  beyond  suspicion.  Indeed,  there 
had  been  days  when  it  seemed  as  though  her  life,  too, 
hung  in  the  balance,  and  Silver  Hill's  foremost  physician 
had  been  reinforced  by  the  professional  aid  of  both 
doctors  from  Fort  Minneconjou.  There  was  even  talk 
of  sending  for  still  another  from  far  Chicago. 

And  all  the  busy  towns  and  self-styled  "  cities  "  of  the 
Hills  had  buzzed  with  excitement  over  the  thrilling  affair. 
All  the  mining  camps  and  cattle  ranges  knew  that  Amos 
Bullard  had  borne  his  wife  a  prisoner  to  the  uttermost  of 
his  possessions;  had  held  her  there,  secluded  and  with- 
out feminine  companionship  or  sympathy  until,  alarmed 
by  the  symptoms,  he  had  with  secrecy  and  by  short  stages 
brought  her  again  to  Silver  Hill.  It  was  speedily  known 
that  the  big  wagon  with  its  spanking  four-horse  team 
had  swept  into  town  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning — 

211 


212  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

the  very  morning  of  Kitty  Belden's  birthday;  that  Dr. 
Draper,  summoned  by  galloping  courier,  was  on  hand 
with  a  trained  nurse  to  attend  her;  that  she  had  been 
aided  to  her  room  and  there  ministered  to  by  Draper, 
the  nurse,  and  the  housemaid;  that  Draper  had  come 
away  "  looking  wrathful "  at  seven ;  that  the  nurse  left 
Bullard's  roof  early  in  the  afternoon,  saying  in  explana- 
tion of  her  return  to  her  lodging  that  Mr.  Bullard  had 
insulted  her.  Draper,  who  had  a  case  to  attend  to  at  a 
distant  ranch,  returned  at  6  P.  M.  and  was  surprised 
and  disturbed  to  find  the  nurse  awaiting  him.  It  was 
true  he  had  informed  Bullard  that  Mrs.  Bullard  had  no 
serious  bodily  ailment,  that  she  was  overwrought,  un- 
strung, nervously  ill,  that  she  required  rest,  that  she 
should  be  sent  East  to  the  seashore  if  he  desired  her 
speedy  resoration  to  health,  whereupon  Bullard  had  burst 
into  a  torrent  of  invective,  accused  Draper  of  being  in 
league  with  his  wife  to  get  her  away  from  her  hus- 
band's roof,  and  to  enable  her  to  join  her  bankrupt  and 
disgraced  lover  at  some  Atlantic  summer  resort.  Draper 
left  in  wrath  too  deep  for  words.  The  nurse,  a  middle- 
aged  and  most  respectable  woman,  quit  in  similar  frame 
of  mind,  after  vainly  protesting  against  Bullard's  coarse 
accusation  and  dangerous  interference. 

The  unba|>py  patient  was  left  to  the  care  of  the  maid- 


COMRADES   IN  ARMS  213 

servant  and  the  tirades  of  her  legal  master,  and  Draper 
had  just  about  decided  that  it  was  his  professional  duty 
to  go  again  and  demand  admission  to  the  sick  chamber, 
and  the  nurse  had  gone  to  apprise  Mrs.  Lawrence  of 
what  had  taken  place  and  to  ask  her  advice,  when  about 
9.30  in  the  evening  a  wild  rumor  rushed  like  the  wind 
through  the  town — Amos  Bullard  had  been  shot  by  his 
wife. 

This  much  was  known  to  a  certainty:  The  maidser- 
vant had  come  running,  weeping,  from  the  house  shortly 
after  nine,  telling  certain  curious  loiterers,  attracted 
by  the  sound  of  furious  language  on  the  second  floor, 
that  Mr.  Bullard  had  gone  just  stark,  staring  mad,  and 
she  couldn't  stay  another  minute.  *'  He  was  so  wild- 
like, somebody  really  ought  to  call  the  police,"  but  she 
dare  not;  he  might  kill  her.  Bullard  was  still  raging  at 
somebody — "  his  poor  wife  that  was  nearly  dead  now," 
sobbed  the  maid.  Then  more  people  came,  and  one  or 
two  ventured  into  the  wide-open  doorway,  but  the  maid 
ran  round  to  the  gardener's  cottage — her  brother's,  it 
seems — and  there  was  more  furious  raving  aloft.  "  Will 
you  give  me  your  word  ? "  was  shouted  thrice.  No 
response  was  audible.  Then  came  the  sound  of  a  curse,  a 
blow — a  heavy  blow — a  fall,  then  other  tones,  a  woman's, 
in    vehement    denunciation,    then    two    shots    in    quick 


214  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

succession,  a  wild  cry,  and  among  the  four  or  five  men 
and  boys  of  the  townsfolk,  huddled  at  the  broad  front 
steps,  there  was  not  one  who  dared  enter  until  the  gar- 
dener and  a  constable  came  running.  These  two  darted 
in  and  bounded  up  the  stairs.  They  found  Bullard  writh- 
ing in  agony  and  terror  on  a  sofa  in  the  hall,  bleeding 
and  moaning.  They  found  her,  his  wife,  in  a  deathlike 
swoon  on  the  floor  in  her  bedroom.  There  was  an  angry 
red,  puffing  bruise  spreading  over  the  left  side  of  her 
face,  a  bruise  that  soon  began  to  turn  black  and  purple. 
There  lay  close  by  her  hand  a  revolver  with  three  cham- 
bers still  loaded,  with  its  bore  and  muzzle  smudged  and 
blackened.  Then  Draper  came  springing  up  the  stairs, 
and  the  house  was  filling  with  pallid,  excited,  chattering 
neighbors,  street  folk  and  strangers.  Someone  was  sent 
on  the  run  for  Draper's  instruments,  bandages,  etc., — 
someone  for  Mrs.  Lawrence  and  the  nurse — someone  for 
the  cashier  and  other  bank  people.  Some  ran  this  way 
and  some  that.  There  was  confusion  and  coming  and 
going  for  as  much  as  twenty  minutes  before  a  level- 
headed town  marshal  finally  cleared  the  premises  of 
strangers.  Then  other  doctors,  hearing  the  news,  had 
come,  scenting  possible  professional  employment,  and 
Bullard  had  been  lifted,  senseless  now,  to  his  bed, 
undressed,  and  examined.  "  Dangerous,  if  not  fatal,"  was 


COMRADES  IN  [A^RMS  215 

the  instant  verdict,  for  both  shots  had  told.  Both  had 
been  fired  so  close  that  the  clothing  was  scorched.  Mrs. 
Bullard,  too,  had  been  borne  to  her  couch,  and  women, 
tearful  but  skilled,  were  caring  for  her.  At  ten  o'clock 
there  was  not  a  vestige  of  doubt  in  the  minds  of  Silver 
Hill  that,  stung,  goaded,  struck  down,  possibly  in  fear 
of  her  life,  Mrs.  Bullard  had  fired  the  fatal  shot.  In 
fact,  who  else  was  there  ?  When  the  maid  came  rushing 
from  the  room  she  had  left  husband  and  wife  alone. 
Moreover,  there  was  the  pistol,  Eleanor's  own,  one  that 
Bullard  had  given  her  the  previous  year.  The  maid 
knew  it  well,  knew  that  even  that  very  day  it  had  been 
lying  there  on  the  dressing  table,  close  to  the  spot  where 
it  and  its  owner  had  fallen. 

And  yet  when  Eleanor  Bullard  was  able  to  speak  and 
think,  she  solemnly  declared  to  Mrs.  Lawrence,  to  Dr. 
Draper,  to  Dr.  Warren,  and  his  sympathetic  wife,  that 
she  had  not  even  touched  the  pistol ;  that  she  had  fallen, 
stunned ;  that  she  never  knew  a  shot  had  been  fired  until 
the  following  day.  But  what  was  this  against  such  array 
of  circumstantial  evidence  ?  When  Jim  Gridley,  hurrying 
back  from  the  seaboard  on  receipt  of  the  news,  sprang 
from  the  "  Flyer  "  four  days  later  and  asked  for  the  latest 
tidings,  they  told  him  that  Mrs.  Bullard  stood  charged 
with  the  crime  and  was  a  prisoner  in  her  own  room,  await- 


216  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

ing  the  verdict  of  the  physician  in  her  own  case — and 
in  his.  Whereupon  Gridley  amazed  and  much  offended 
his  informants  by  saying  the  men  or  women  who  ac- 
cused her  were  a  pack  of  fools. 

Between  Hfe  and  death  Bullard  lay  for  two  weeks. 
Th!ice  they  thought  him  going;  once  they  thought  him 
gone,  and  yet  he  rallied,  and  one  evening,  the  last  of 
July,  he  waked  from  long  stupor  and  asked  for  his  wife. 
He  was  woefully  weak  and  emaciated.  The  feeble  spark 
of  life  that  remained  might  be  fanned  to  a  flickering 
blaze  or  blown  out  of  existence  by  a  breath;  but  the 
great  eyes  rolled  wistfully  about  in  search  of  what  he 
craved,  and  Draper  tip-toed  to  the  opposite  room  and 
told  Mrs.  Bullard  of  his  appeal,  and  Mrs.  Bullard  rose 
and  followed,  leaving  Mrs.  Lawrence  to  receive  and 
respond  to  the  card  just  brought  upstairs — that  of  a  fre- 
quent visitor,  Lieutenant  Gridley. 

An  unpopular  man  had  the  tall  officer  become  among 
the  populace  of  Silver  Hill.  They  had  never  too  well 
liked  the  beautiful  but  somewhat  exclusive  woman  whom 
Bullard  had  so  proudly  established  at  the  head  of  his 
board  and  household.  By  both  education  and  antecedents 
she  belonged  to  a  class  of  which  there  were  not  three 
representatives  among  the  w^omen,  or  five  among  the 
men,  of  the  sturdy  young  metropolis.     Society  at  the 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  211 

fort  was  the  nearest  approach  to  what  she  had  known 
in  her  past,  but  even  there  only  a  limited  few  of  the 
women  had  had  her  advantages.  Mrs.  Lawrence  v/as 
her  only  intimate  in  town.  The  other  women,  envious, 
jealous,  or  regarding  her  as  one  of  the  detested  "  aristo- 
cratic class,"  felt  for  her  no  scintilla  of  kindliness.  She 
had  been  courteous,  even  cordial  at  first,  in  her  man- 
ner to  all.  She  had  striven  to  make  her  husband's  people 
like  her. 

But  the  first  to  dislike,  really,  were  the  wives  of  the 
other  officers  of  the  bank.  There  had  been  one  sweet, 
young  wife  and  mother,  the  first  year  of  her  coming, 
to  whom  Mrs,  Bullard  became  much  attached,  the 
helpmate  of  the  division  superintendent  of  the  railway, 
but  he  had  been  promoted  and  had  taken  her  to  other 
fields.  For  that  year  the  two  women  had  been  well-nigh 
inseparable,  and  it  was  long  before  Mrs.  Lawrence  could 
begin  to  fill  the  vacant  place.  Mrs.  Bullard's  preference 
for  fort  society,  therefore,  had  robbed  her  of  the  regard 
of  society  in  town.  It  fairly  rejoiced  over  her  apparent 
flirtation  with  Langham.  It  prophesied — no  matter  what 
— of  her.  It  I-told-you-so'd  the  stories  of  the  frequent 
quarrels  between  husband  and  wife.  It  actually  reveled 
at  her  abduction  at  the  hands  of  her  own  husband.  It 
was  agape,  but  in  no  wise  surprised,  at  the  news  that 


218  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

she  had  finally  shot  him.  Therefore  were  they,  men  and 
women  both,  incensed  with  Jim  Gridley  because  of  his 
having  said  they  were  fools — that  they  believed  in  her 
guilt.  They  derided  him  that  he  should  declare  it  his 
purpose  to  prove  his  words.  They  sneered  at  his  closet- 
ings  with  the  sheriff  and  certain  others  in  authority. 
They  scoffed  at  her  statement,  spread  abroad  by  Mrs. 
Lawrence,  that  she  had  been  felled,  knocked  senseless, 
and  that  she  never  heard  or  knew  a  thing  for  hours 
thereafter.  "  What  a  pitiable  lie ! "  said  Silver  Hill. 
Were  there  not  half  a  dozen  citizens  willing  to  swear  they 
heard  a  woman's  voice  threatening,  fearless,  furious, 
after  the  blow,  after  the  fall,  and  before  the  shots,  and 
did  not  everybody  know  that,  except  cook  in  the  base- 
ment and  cook's  young  girl  niece  washing  dishes  below 
stairs,  there  was  not  another  woman  in  the  house  ?  There 
was  only  one  woman  left  in  that  room,  or  on  that  floor, 
when  the  maid  came  away  in  her  distress.  There  had 
been,  they  said,  no  woman  among  the  earlier  listeners  at 
the  front — none  heard  of  elsewhere  about  the  premises — 
no  one  but  that  trembling  maid-servant  who  had  run 
away  to  the  gardener's.  One  or  two  men  had  ventured 
up  the  steps  in  the  dark  and  into  the  dimly  lighted  hall, 
but  not  a  sign  of  a  woman.  Yet  a  woman's  voice  "  giv- 
ing Bullard  hell,"  said  the  hearers,  had  been  plainly 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  219 

heard  just  after  the  blow.  Who  could  it  Have  been 
but  Mrs.  Bullard?     Mr.  Gridley  was  himself  a  fool. 

Possibly  he  was,  but  a  busy  one,  at  least.  In  every 
direction  he  had  been  wiring  after  Prim,  the  former 
lady's  maid.  At  every  opportunity  he  had  been  begging 
Mrs.  Lawrence  to  see  if  some  trace  did  not  remain  of 
the  mysterious  letters  that  had  been  slipped  in  under 
the  door,  but  all  to  no  useful  purpose.  Prim,  indeed,  had 
been  found,  but  Prim  vowed  she  knew  no  more  now 
than  she  did  before,  of  the  writer  of  those  threatening 
missives.  Then,  as  Gridley  could  not  see  Mrs.  Bullard, 
or,  rather,  as  she  would  not  see  him,  at  least  not  yet,  he 
besought  Mrs.  Lawrence  to  strive  to  obtain  from  her 
some  description  of  the  wording  of  the  letters,  the  sig- 
nature, the  writing,  but  no  description  of  any  value  came. 
Then  he  had  interviewed  conductors  and  station  agents 
as  to  women  passengers  arriving  during  the  past  three 
weeks,  coming  from  a  distance  to  Silver  Hill,  and  nothing 
did  this  profit  him,  and  now,  when  he  craved  the  privi- 
lege of  fighting  like  a  knight  of  old  for  her,  a  defense- 
less woman,  proving  her  best  friend  and  her  entire  inno- 
cence, she  excused  herself  from  coming  down  to  see  him. 
She  had  gone  instead  to  see  the  man  who  had  vilified, 
cursed,  and  beaten  her.     No  wonder  Gridley  was  sore! 

And  Mrs.  Lawrence  could  not  comfort  him.    She  was 


g^O  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

speaking  urgently  when  an  attendant  suddenly  appeared. 
"  Will  Mrs.  Lawrence  step  up  to  Mr.  Bullard's  room  ? 
Mr.  Bullard  wants  to  see  her  right  away."  ''  I'll  wait," 
said  Gridley  briefly,  and  she  hastened  aloft. 

In  five  minutes  she  was  down  again,  her  eyes  snapping, 
her  cheeks  aflame  with  excitement.  "  Dr.  Draper  wishes 
you  to  come  at  once,"  said  she,  and  together  they  as- 
cended the  soft  carpeted  stairway,  and  for  the  first  time 
in  a  month  Jim  Gridley  looked  upon  the  face  of  Eleanor 
Bullard,  and  a  great  pity  surged  from  his  very  soul  at 
sight  of  her,  and  then  he  looked  upon  the  wreck  that 
lay  so  feebly  moaning  there  upon  the  bed — the  broken, 
fringing,  helpless  old  man,  and  Gridley  could  have  kicked 
himself  for  the  hours  of  impotent  hate  and  wrath  he 
had  lavished  upon  what  had  been  a  forceful,  dominant, 
even  brutal  leader  of  men  and  beater  of  women,  now 
nothing  better  than  an  abject,  whimpering  child.  No 
time  was  lost.  "  You,  too,  should  hear  this,  lieutenant," 
said  Dr.  Draper.  Then,  bending  down  over  his  stricken 
patient,  Draper  motioned  Gridley  to  do  likewise  and 
asked : 

"  How  was  she  dressed — the  woman  of  whom  you 
speak  ?  " 

"  Man's  clothing — felt  hat,  dark,"  was  the  whispered 
answer.     "  O  God,  doctor!  have  I  got — to  die?  " 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  221 

"  Don't  worry  about  that.  We're  pulling  you  through. 
Tell  us  what  she  said — before  shooting.  Then  I'll  get 
you  to  sleep  again." 

"  Cursed  me ;  called  me  brute  and  coward.  I  tried  to 
stop  her  and  she  grabbed  the  pistol  and  fired.  Oh,  can't 
somebody — pray  ?  "  Then  came  the  piteous  moaning 
again,  like  that  of  a  fevered  child. 

"  You're  sure  it  wasn't  accidental  ?  " 

"  Sure  !     She'd  been  threatening  me  nearly  a  year." 

Dr.  Draper  arose,  turned,  took  both  Mrs.  Bullard's 
hands  in  his  and  solemnly  said :  "  I  ask  your  pardon 
that,  for  a  time,  knowing  the  provocation,  I  believed. 
Here  stands  a  man  who  from  the  very  first  scouted  the 
idea  and  insisted  you  were  innocent." 

And  unthinkingly,  perhaps,  he  placed  her  right  hand 
in  that  of  Gridley,  and,  lifting  up  her  eyes,  she  looked 
through  shining  tears  into  the  soldier's  rugged,  twitch- 
ing face. 

Then  Draper  swept  them  from  the  room,  for  again 
his  patient  went  whimpering  away  into  dreams  of  dread 
and  death. 

Those  dreams  served  some  purpose.  There  were  just 
and  righteous  residents  of  Silver  Hill  quite  ready  to 
swear  that  Draper  kept  his  luckless  victim  in  the  convic- 
tion that  any  hour  might  be  his  last,  and  wrung  from 


222  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

him  the  so-called  ante-mortem  statement,  that,  duly 
witnessed  and  signed,  was  speedily  in  the  hands  of  the 
constituted  authorities.  It  was  the  expressed  conviction 
of  many  a  Silver  Hiller  that  Warren,  of  the  army  medi- 
cal deparment,  and  Mack  and  Gridley  aided  and  abetted 
in  the  nefarious  scheme.  It  was  predicted  that  when 
Bullard  got  well,  as  eventually  he  might,  he  would  "  go 
back  on  the  statement,"  but  the  prediction  fell  flat. 

A  strange  story  Bullard  told,  one  that  stamped  him 
at  once  as  a  man  capable  of  almost  any  desperate  deed 
and  of  almost  every  despicable  cowardice.  Divested  of 
legal  phraseology,  and  expurgated  of  oaths,  groans,  and 
complainings,  it  was  substantially  as  follows:  He  had 
made  the  bulk  of  his  fortune  in  Nevada.  Business  took 
him  frequently  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  had  formed 
a  connection  with  a  young  and  attractive  widow.  Not 
until  completely  in  her  toils  did  he  learn  that  she  had  a 
husband  living,  and  she  professed  to  be  in  terror  of  him 
and  of  his  return.  Bullard  had  been  advised  to  try  Carls- 
bad, and  he  took  her  abroad  with  him.  She  had  beauty 
and  grace.  She  fascinated  him  until  her  demands  became 
intolerable.  The  more  he  gave,  the  more  she  wanted. 
They  quarreled  and  he  left  her.  She  followed  to  Paris, 
and  finally  she  promised,  if  given  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars,  to  worry  him  no  more.    Aleardy  she  had  ensnared 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

a  younger  lover,  and  Bullard  thought  himself  well  rid 
of  her.  In  New  York,  the  next  year,  he  saw  and  loved 
— these  words  were  his  own — "  the  noble  woman  whom 
I  finally  induced  to  become  my  wife."  Meantime  his 
investments  in  the  Black  Hills  began  to  demand  personal 
attention.  They  were  not  turning  out  as  he  hoped.  He 
drew  out  of  everything  on  the  Pacific  slope;  settled  in 
Silver  Hill.  (There  wasn't  silver  enough  in  the  Saga- 
more to  pay  the  cost  of  smelting,  though  they  did  find 
gold  in  limited  quantities.)  Then  he  went  back  to  his 
wooing.  She  and  her  kindred  were  poor.  He  bought 
her  with  his  promises  and  protestations.  And  she  came 
to  this  strange  land  and  did  her  best,  though  he  knew 
she  was  pining  for  home  and  friends — until  that  infer- 
nal creature,  whom  he  had  thought  silenced  forever,  ran 
him  down  and  began  writing.  She  had  been  deserted, 
so  she  said ;  was  in  New  York  "  flat  broke,"  must  have 
money  and  lots  of  it  or  she'd  break  his  marriage.  Bul- 
lard refused  aid  or  answer.  She  moved  to  Chicago  and 
opened  her  second  parallel  in  the  siege  approaches,  and 
still  he  braved  her.  Then  the  letters  began  to  come 
from  Omaha.  Then,  despite  his  vigilance,  they  were 
slipped  beneath  the  door  and  even  to  her,  his  wife,  his  idol. 
Then  came  his  wife's  demand  for  explanation,  and  his  lie. 
Then  came  proofs  of  his  lie,  and  his  wife's  contempt. 


224  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Then  came  fierce  rage  and  jealousy  and  young  Langham, 
and  when  Bullard  sought  to  interpose,  she  defied  him, 
asked  him  who  was  he  to  preach  moraUty  to  her.  He 
now  declared,  upon  what  was  probably  his  dying  bed, 
that  he  believed  his  wife  had  never  met  Langham  alone 
except  on  the  open  prairie  when  they  rode  together,  but 
for  a  time  he  had  thought  otherwise,  and  she  disdained 
to  answer  his  accusations. 

By  this  time  the  breach  between  tHem  had  become 
impassable.  She  declared  her  purpose  of  returning  to 
her  people.  He  had  eagerly  harvested  all  the  claims 
against  Langham,  thinking  in  that  way  to  ruin  him, 
but  overreached  himself  in  taunting  his  wife  with  hav- 
ing given  her  love  to  a  bankrupt  and  swindler.  She 
knew  Langham 's  mother  and  Langham's  people,  knew 
his  mother's  business  manager,  believed  him  to  i)e  dis- 
honest, put  Langham  on  his  guard,  to  the  nd  that 
Langham  was  on  the  point  of  demanding  a  full  account- 
ing. This  would  have  re-established  Langham  and  ruined 
the  agent.  Indeed  it  was  really  Mrs.  Bullard's  urging 
that  led  to  "  that  Sunday  school  villain's  "  exposure. 

Then  Bullard — he  owned  it  all  now — in  his  jealous 
rage,  sought  to  temporarily,  but  forcibly  and  effectually, 
put  Langham  out  of  the  race.  Le  Gros  and  other  half- 
breeds  had   long  been   in  his   occasional   employ.     He 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  225 

employed  them  again — Le  Gros,  Wolf,  and  Belles  Pierres. 
The  plan  was  that  they  were  to  meet  him,  sham  drunk, 
force  a  fight,  then  pound  him  into  a  pulp.  Bullard  was 
horrified,  however,  to  hear  the  night  of  the  ball  that 
Langham  had  been  shot  and  killed  at  the  fords.  Earlier 
in  the  evening  he  had  heard  of  the  quarrel  at  the  mess 
and  of  Crabbe's  threats.  He  had  just  found  Crabbe's 
insignia  on  the  floor  of  the  dressing  room.  He  was  in 
terror  lest  suspicion  be  cast  upon  himself,  for  he  knew 
the  trend  of  town  and  garrison  talk.  He  saw  a  chance 
to  divert  suspicion  to  Crabbe,  and — dropped  the  insignia 
at  the  scene  of  the  assault,  just  where  Baker  found  it. 

Then  he  learned  that  Mrs.  Bullard  had  actually  com- 
municated with  this  woman  who  was  hounding  him,  and 
was  perfecting  arrangements  to  meet  her  in  Omaha.  He 
had  set  the  groom  Jennings,  "  specially  recommended  " 
for  such  duties,  spying  on  her  every  act  abroad,  and  had 
easily  succeeded  in  making  a  spy  of  the  English  lady's 
maid,  Prim.  He  did  not  trust  even  Jennings.  It  was 
this  man  that  drove  him  in  the  dogcart  out  to  a  disrep- 
utable ranch  southwest  of  town  the  day  of  the  dance, 
and  had  seen,  though  he  could  not  hear,  the  conference 
with  Le  Gros.  That  morning's  mail  had  told  of  the  com- 
ing of  Shafto,  a  first  cousin  of  Langham's  mother,  and 
his  young  secretary.    He  knew  Shafto  in  business,  knew 


226  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

that  Langham  would  probably  meet  him  at  the  train  and 
still  be  back  in  time  to  dance  again  and  again  with 
his  beautiful  wife.  Now  was  the  chance  for  Le  Gros 
to  act,  and  the  miserable  dog  had  gone  away  out  to  the 
ranch,  and  was  probably  half  drunk.  Still,  Le  Gros  seemed 
to  understand  what  was  wanted,  and  driving  home,  the 
banker  believed  his  brutal  plans  would  succeed  and  no 
man  be  the  wiser.  Yet  he  shrank  and  trembled  at  sight 
of  Kitty  Belden,  riding  away  up  the  valley.  Could  that 
child,  too,  have  been  spying  on  him? 

Not  daring  to  remain  about  Silver  Hill,  he  went  to 
Chicago  and  Omaha,  ostensibly  on  business,  but  really 
to  try  to  bring  that  woman  to  reason  and  to  terms.  Her 
demands  far  outdid  all  previous  flights.  Through  his 
sacrifices  to  Shafto  and  others  he  had  lost  much,  and  it 
would  have  ruined  him,  he  said,  to  meet  her  claims.  Now, 
moreover,  she  avoided  him.  He  spent  days  and  nights 
in  futile  effort.  She  would  not  be  bagged.  Then  his 
spies  warned  him  he  would  better  hurry  home.  He  did  so 
and  found  his  wife  gone  to  the  fort,  riding.  Then  it 
was  he  made  his  next  essay. 

He  had  paid  Le  Gros  before  going  east,  and  the  black- 
guard was  ugly  and  truculent.  He  had  paid  him  to  do 
more — to  frighten  Mrs.  Bullard  and  make  her  dread 
riding  alone.    He  now  gave  him,  in  his  desperation,  still 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  227 

more  to  do.  He  knew  that  any  day  his  wife  might  leave 
him.  Langham  was  mending  and  called  to  the  East. 
Lieutenant  Gridley  had  surprised  him,  before  his  visit 
to  Chicago,  with  full  cash  payment  of  every  claim  he 
held  against  Langham  Bullard  believed  that  his  wife's 
purpose  was  to  find  that  horrible  woman  and  then  to 
follow  Langham.  A  wild  idea  possessed  him  of  having 
her  run  off  by  the  renegade  Sioux — she  and  Jennings 
both!  then  he  would  follow  and  rescue  her  from  the 
traditional  horror  worse  than  death.  But  something 
scared  them  off.  Ever  since  Wounded  Knee  they  had 
been  timorous,  and  Shannon's  party  sent  one  lot  going, 
and  the  mere  sight  of  Kitty  Belden  was  enough  to 
stampede  those  with  Le  Gros.  There  was  nothing  for  it, 
therefore,  but  to  abduct  his  wife  himself,  and  with  the 
aid  of  his  blackguard  henchmen  this  was  done.  She 
fought  so  hard  and  then  drooped  so  dreadfully  that  in 
his  alarm  he  brought  her  back.  Then  she  had  demanded, 
and  Draper  had  advised,  that  she  be  sent  East  at  once. 
She  had  received  in  some  mysterous  way  further  news. 
Bullard  thought  it  was  from  Langham,  and  went  wild 
with  rage.  That  night  he  strove  to  bind  her  by  promises, 
and  she  would  not  even  answer.  Weak  and  broken  as 
she  was,  she  defied  him,  and  in  his  fury  he  struck  and 
felled  her.    A  moment  later  a  man  rushed  in  from  the 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

hallway  and  in  a  woman's  voice  damned  him  for  all  that 
was  damnable.  He  sprang  for  the  pistol  on  the  dresser, 
but  she,  the  woman  he  had  dreaded,  was  too  quick  for 
him.  She  grabbed  it  and  fired.  They  knew  the  rest. 
So  vanished  all  his  hopes  and  schemes.  So  vanished  the 
woman  who  had  beaten  him  at  last,  for  not  a  trace  of  her 
was  found.  So  ended  the  long,  wretched  lesson.  So 
ended  "  what  happened  in  the  West" 


PART    TWO 

What  Happened  in  the  East 


I 


PRELIMINARY    LETTERS 

The  University  Club,  December  27,  1897. 

DEARGRIDLEY: 
'  Yours  of  the  i6th  came  during  a  brief  absence 
in  Boston.  Shafto  and  I  spent  Christmas  with 
some  of  mother's  relatives — rather  a  sad  visit,  yet  fruitful 
in  result.  You  know  they  never  quite  approved  of  me 
for  having  gone  to  Yale  instead  of  Harvard,  and  there- 
after to  the  army — and  destruction.  Shafto  is  no  such  bad 
lot  as  you,  and  indeed  I,  thought.  He  knew  nothing  of  me 
except  what  mother  and  mother's  agent  told  him,  and  the 
first  was  as  misleading  one  way  as  the  second  was  the 
other.  She  painted  me  a  saint;  he  a  sinner.  Shafto 
finally  told  me  the  fellow  made  him  believe  I  had  bled 
her  for  years ;  that  she  was  almost  swamped  by  my  gam- 
bling debts ;  that  I  had  forged  her  name,  etc.,  etc.,  all,  of 
course,  under  promise  that  Shafto  would  not  reveal  his 
knowledge  to  her  or  to  me.  That  was  the  secret  of  his 
treating  me  so  cavalierly  on  his  way  west.  Pyne  has  told 
me  still  more,  for  it  is  so  sore  a  point  with  Shafto  he 
hates  to  speak  of  it.    Pyne  continues  steady  as  a  rock, 

SSI 


^8^  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

and  thoroughly  rehable.  Shafto  says  mother  made  Pyne 
his  secretary  and  missed  it  by  not  making  him  her  own. 

So  poor,  loving  "Mummie's  "  prayers  are  answered  at 
last.    "  Cousin  Percy  "  and  her  only  Pitt  are  friends. 

You  couldn't  help  liking  him,  Grid,  though  I'm  not 
so  sure  he  at  first  would  like  you.  (His  Christmas  dinner 
was  spoiled  because  a  semi-bucolical  kinsman  wore  a 
white  tie  with  his  Tux.)  He's  a  horseman,  too,  though 
you  wouldn't  think  it  to  see  him  in  saddle.  (I  fancy 
what  he'd  say  to  see  us  in  our  Whitmans,  for  the  cow- 
boys' seats  and  saddles  at  Billings  set  his  teeth  and  tem- 
per both  on  edge  for  a  week),  but  he  has  a  head  for  busi- 
ness and  is  a  "  comer  "  in  the  Street,  despite  which  fact  I 
suspect  him  of  a  longing  to  sell  out  all  his  American 
securities  and  hark  back  to  Pall  Mall.  Indeed,  I  know 
he  would  but  for  one  thing — a  determination  to  land  that 
psalm-singing,  sermonizing  swindler  in  Sing  Sing.  The 
last  heard  of  the  cad  was  in  Honduras,  with  his  wife  and 
children  here  facing  the  pity  of  the  pious. 

Now,  to  answer  your  questions : 

I.  Yes,  I  have  heard  from  Mrs.  Bullard.  She  took 
him  to  Nassau  for  the  winter,  as  I  told  you.  He's  better, 
seems  to  suffer  much  less  in  that  soft  climate,  and  then — 
he  is  safe  from  his  persecutor.  Mrs.  Bullard  has  prom- 
ised   to   save     any    letter     that    may     come,    as   you 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  233 

urged,  but  the  blackmailing  lady  seems  to  have  quit 
the  business. 

One  thing  Shafto  learned  from  the  bank  that  Bullard 
did  not  mention  and  we  did  not  know.  Bullard  had  ac- 
tually sent,  to  the  place  named  by  that  feminine  sharper, 
fifteen  thousand  dollars  as  a  bribe  not  to  come  near  him 
or  his  wife.  It  was  sent  just  before  the  shooting,  and  it 
is  believed  she  got  some  share  of  it.  That  will  keep  her 
quiet  a  while,  but  she  will  begin  again,  I  fancy,  when  the 
money  is  gone  and  she  finds  he  has  recovered  of  his 
wounds.  She  is  smart  enough  to  know  he  dare  not 
prosecute  her. 

You  come  in  for  honorable  mention  in  Mrs.  Bullard's 
latest  bulletin,  which  was  dated  November  5th  (reminis- 
cent of  Guy  Fawkes),  but  it  is  mainly  of  him  and  his 
prospects  she  writes.  I  fancy  there  is  no  chance  of  his 
ever  getting  on  his  legs  again,  and  to  think  of  that  blessed 
woman  devoting  her  life  to  what  is  left  of  his ! 

2.  Yes,  the  sale  was  neither  forced,  nor  was  it  in  any 
sense  a  sacrifice.  I  was  more  than  able  to  send  the 
cheque,  though  I  could  not  begin  to  say  with  what  grati- 
tude. Dear  old  chap,  the  pecuniary  side  of  my  obliga- 
tion to  you,  big  as  it  was,  is  the  only  part  of  it  I  have 
been  or  ever  shall  be  able  to  meet.  Of  course  it  was 
something  of  a  wrench  to  part  with  the  house  that  so  long 


g34  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

had  been  mother's,  but  it  was  about  the  only  thing — that 
and  her  jewels,  which  are  now  safe  in  the  vault — our 
ingenious  financial  adviser  had  not  succeeded  in  convert- 
ing into  cash.  The  property  had  greatly  appreciated  in 
value,  netting  some  seventy-two  thousand  dollars.  Of 
course  much  of  this  has  to  go  into  a  trust  fund  for  the 
payment  of  father's  old  pensioners,  leaving  me  with  my 
head  above  water  and  perhaps  two  thousand  a  year. 
Shafto  pays  me  twenty-five  hundred  more,  and  a  small 
interest,  to  hold  down  a  desk  in  his  office.  I  don't  seem 
to  have  to  do  much  else,  though  he  says  I'm  learning  the 
business.  Forty-five  hundred  a  year  isn't  bad  for  a  bach- 
elor even  here,  but  of  course  one  can't  marry  on  it,  as 
Miss  Amy  Vane  was  prompt  to  assure  me.  "  Oh,  my 
cousin — shallow-hearted,"  but  wasn't  that  a  wunner? 
And  what  would  poor  "  Mummie  "  have  said  ?  From  my 
cradle  days  she  had  me  engaged  to  that  very  superior 
young  woman,  who  has  justified  the  confidence  reposed  in 
her  and  won  my  undying  esteem  by  seeing  how  absurd 
was  the  proposition.  We  are  far  better  friends.  Amy  and 
I,  than  ever  we  could  have  been — coupled.  She  says 
when  she  marries  it  must  be  a  man  with  a  million,  like 
Cousin  Shafto  ('pon  my  soul  I  think  she'd  cap  him  if  she 
could),  or  a  man  among  a  million,  Jim,  like — who  do  you 
think? — like  you.    That  girl's  eyes  brimmed  over  when 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  2S5 

I  told  her  what  you  had  been  to  me,  and  may  I  be  kicked 
for  calling  her  shallow-hearted!  It's  all  off,  however, 
and  I'm  cad  enough  to  be  breathing  freer.  Yet  mother 
had  so  set  her  heart  on  it,  and  had  been  saving  and  scrap- 
ing, and  I  dare  say  might  have  been  speculating  for  me. 

Shafto  and  I  have  a  flat  in  Fifty-fifth  Street,  where  we 
sleep,  take  our  matitutinal  eggs,  tea,  and  toast ;  thence  we 
"  elevate  "  to  Rector  Street ;  thither  we  return  toward  five 
to  dress  for  dinner,  and  see  no  more  of  each  other  until 
tub-time  next  morning.  Sundays,  after  the  fashion  of  our 
forefathers,  and  because  mother  loved  it,  I  sit  with  him 
under  the  superb  window  in  her  old  pew,  and  we  follow 
the  service  of  the  church,  even  though  we  cannot  always 
follow  the  sermon — Shafto  has  the  blessed  gift  of  sitting 
erect  and  sleeping.  That  Sunday  service,  with  the  ap- 
propriate top-hat  and  frock,  is  about  my  ony  link  with 
the  world  in  which  she  hoped  to  see  me  shine.  Being  in 
deep  mourning  accounts  for  my  non-appearance  at  func- 
tions of  other  kinds,  and  saves  me  the  explanation  that 
other  extravagances  are  beyond  my  means. 

Shafto's  evenings  go  to  whist  at  the  Union  Club ;  mine, 
as  a  rule,  to  drills  at  the  armory.  How  do  I  like  it? 
First  rate.  Of  course  we  can't  have  the  set-up  and  style 
we  insist  on  with  our  fellows  in  the  regular  service,  but 
there's  a  heap  of  comfort  to  be  got  from  the  way  the 


'236  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

officers  study  and  work,  and,  so  far  as  indoor  drills  and 
ceremonies  are  concerned,  even  Briggs  and  Belden  would 
applaud.  My  becoming  major  of  the  second  battalion 
was  an  odd  piece  of  luck.  You  didn't  seem  over-pleased 
with  my  having  accepted  the  inspectorship  of  small  arms 
practice  on  the  division  staff  (Shafto  growled,  too,  and 
said  it  was  such  a  waste  of  time),  but,  I  say  to  you  again» 
Gridley,  this  nation  of  ours  cannot  run  along  much  longer 
without  getting  into  a  scrap  somewhere,  and  then  the 
volunteers  will  have  the  best  show,  as  they  always  have 
had.  I've  learned  this  from  older  heads  than  yours  or 
mine.  Well,  to  get  back  to  business.  One  night  in  Oc- 
tober Major  Curtis  was  ill,  the  senior  captain  absent,  I 
was  there  as  a  spectator,  and  they  asked  if  I  wouldn't 
drill  the  battalion.  I  did.  Then  they  asked  me  to  come 
again,  and  I  did.  Last  month  Curtis  resigned  and  went 
abroad,  and  the  regiment  asked  me  to  quit  the  staff  and 
come  to  the  line.  The  general  approved,  and  there  you 
are.  Two  nights  a  week  we  had  battalion  drill  in  prepa- 
ration for  the  review,  etc.,  before  your  old  commander. 
General  Merritt.  Two  weeks  ago  it  came  off  in  grand 
style,  and  the  regiment  never  did  better.  There  wasn't 
room  for  regimental  evolutions,  so  when  he  expressed 
a  wish  to  see  a  battalion  drill,  it  was  the  second  and 
your  humble  servant  that  were  told  to  take  the  floor,  and 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  237 

I  wish  you  and  Briggs  might  have  seen  it.  Our  major 
general  afterwards  presented  me  to  your  major  general, 
and,  by  Jove,  who  should  there  be  standing  to  his  left  and 
rear  but  ''  Old  Hardtack  " ! — here  on  leave,  a  looker-on, 
in  cits !  but  he  ''  rung  in  "  on  them  somehow,  and  you 
should  have  seen  his  grim  old  face  when  I  saluted,  and 
stood  at  salute  until  he  shoved  out  his  hand.  He  has  to 
retire  next  month,  and  is  dying  hard. 

Yes,  I  do  miss  Gordon  and  Champion  and  the  breezy 
gallops  and  the  pine-scented  air,  the  band,  and  the  kindly 
faces  and  the  pleasant  chat  over  the  afternoon  teacups, 
and  my  heart  goes  out  in  gratitude  to  Mrs.  Warren, 
heaven  bless  her!  and  to  Mrs.  Mack,  as  well  as  several 
others.  I've  only  myself  and  my  pride,  I  suppose,  to 
thank  for  the  fact  that  there  were  not  more  friends.  I 
love  to  picture  Kitty  Belden  taking  Gordon  over  the 
ditches,  and  can  readily  imagine  her  as  you  describe. 
Some  little  holiday  "  momentums  "  went  to  her,  to  sev- 
ered others,  and  to  you,  that  I  hope  to  hear  of  as  safely 
rec  ived.  My  hearty  greeting  always  to  the  colonel,  to 
Baker,  Belden,  Briggs,  Field,  Shannon,  Warren,  and — 
well,  you  know  the  men.  As  for  you,  Gridley,  it  is  use- 
less trying  to  say  anything.  *'  Some  day  I  shall  meet 
you."  Yours  as  ever, 

Langham. 


^38  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

P.  S. — Dispatch  in  evening  papers  from  Pine  Ridge 
says  Tall  Elk  and  Bites-the-Bear,  Ogallalla  Sioux,  were 
killed  in  row  between  Indian  police  and  half-breeds,  one 
of  the  latter,  "  Fat  Johnny,"  mortally  wounded.  Is  that 
our  esteemed  friend  Le  Gros?  I'm  ashamed  of  this  let- 
ter. Fear  no  further  infliction  of  anything  like  this  length 
for  at  least  another  year. 

Fort  Minneconjou,  January  5,  '98. 

Dear  Langham  : 

It  was  good  to  get  your  letter.  The  only  unwelcome 
part  was  what  you  say  about  writing  at  that  length  only 
once  a  year.  The  *'  momentums  "  came  in  safety,  and 
the  exclamations  of  delight  and  surprise  at  Warren's 
were  worth  hearing.  The  children  screamed  over  theirs. 
I  had  been  to  town  and  came  out  in  the  sleigh  with  the 
Christmas  boxes,  and  dropped  in  at  the  doctor's  to  see 
the  opening.  The  colonel  tells  me  Mrs.  Mack  was  com- 
pletely carried  away  by  the  bon-bon  trays  (Tiffany's,  I 
suppose),  and — it  was  like  you  not  to  forget  the  Cullins. 
They  haven't  too  much  sunshine  in  their  lives,  I  reckon, 
and  dependent  women  must  lead  a  dog's  life  at  best — a 
dog  and  cat  life  it  would  be,  if  Mrs.  Mack  were  as  cen- 
sorious as  her  sister,  which  she  isn't,  but  the  best  old  soul 
in  the  business,  and  always  telling  Mrs.  Sparker  what 


™  COMRADES  IN  ARMS  239 

the  regiment  lost  when  you  left  it.  Mrs.  Belden,  too, 
comes  in  for  an  occasional  rap,  but  Mrs.  Belden  has 
moderated  in  many  a  way,  it  seems  to  me.  You  remem- 
bered her  very  prettily,  I  am  glad  to  see,  and  Belden 
favored  me  with  one  of  the  priceless  Partagas  you  sent 
him.  (I  prefer  my  corncob  and  Army  plug,  thank 
you.) 

As  for  Miss  Kitty — well,  I  presume  she  will  be  permit- 
ted to  write  her  thanks,  but  really  that  is  an  elegant 
"  crop,"  and,  in  spite  of  the  snow,  she  was  out  with  it  on 
Gordon  the  very  next  day,  though  what  an  army  girl 
wants  with  a  crop  is  too  many  for  me.  Crabbe,  I  should 
judge,  regards  it  as  utterly  superfluous.  That  cross- 
grained,  ill-conditioned  cub  is  completely  daft  about  our 
little  girl — our  tall  "  Lady  Katherine,"  rather,  and  the 
situation  is  getting  serious.  Belden  never  did  like  him, 
nor  did  Mrs.  Belden ;  but  he  is  conducting  his  campaign 
on  scientific  lines — making  love  through  the  mother — 
and  while  Kitty  seems  unimpressed,  there  is  no  doubt  he 
is  gaining  ground  with  the  still-in-the-ring  maternal. 
Why,  Langham,  she  is  dancing  more  desperately  than 
ever  this  winter,  and  Crabbe  says  she  was  married  at  six- 
teen.   Who  told  him,  do  you  s'pose  ? 

Baker  and  Crabbe  have  clashed  again,  and  the  Old  Man 
had  to  warn  them  both,  for  the  major  was  fighting  mad. 


^40  COMRADES   IN   ARMS 

It  all  grew  out  of — but  here,  I  hadn't  opened  my  head 
about  it,  and  yet  am  raining  ink.  Briggs's  commission  as 
captain  came  two  weeks  ago,  and  he  has  gone  to  Nio- 
brara (F  Company).  Mrs.  Briggs  follows  with  the 
goods  and  chattels  next  week.  Briggs's  was  a  recess  ap- 
pointment, and  Mack  managed  to  stand  off  permanent 
selection  of  the  adjutant  until  Briggs  was  confirmed  by 
the  Senate.  This  enabled  him  to  detail  Field  as  acting 
adjutant.  Possibly  he  hoped  Field  might  get  his  bar 
before  January,  so  that  he  could  make  him  actual  adju- 
tant, but  Field  is  still  two  files  away,  and  Crabbe  felt  con- 
fident. I  think  if  he  had  spent  more  time  at  Mack's  and 
less  at  Belden's  the  Old  Man  might  have  been  talked  into 
it,  but  Crabbe  was  too  violently  and  blindly  in  love  to 
keep  away.  (One  reason  Kitty  rides  so  much  in  this 
bitter  weather  is  because  he  can't  begin  to  keep  up  with 
her.)  Last  month,  though,  Merton,  whom  you  never 
met,  threw  up  a  college  detail,  arrived  here  unexpectedly 
last  week,  and  was  announced  as  adjutant  forth- 
with. That  settled  Crabbe's  aspirations,  but  not  his 
temper. 

Now,  as  to  your  letter.  I  own  that  I  did  take  it  a 
little  amiss  that  you  should  consider  it  necessary  to  settle 
with  me  the  moment  the  situation  admitted  of  your  set- 
tling with  anybody.     I  never  made  a  more  satisfactory 


COMRADES  IN   ARMS  241 

investment.  As  to  Gordon  and  Champion:  the  former 
was  getting  somewhat  reconciled  to  my  hand  last  autumn, 
and  Miss  Belden  is  gradually  bringing  even  the  latter  to 
look  upon  me  without  disfavor  as  a  possible  rider.  They 
are  worth  every  cent  they  cost  me,  and  I  desire  to  part 
with  neither.  Crabbe  asked  me  what  I'd  take  for  Gor- 
don a  while  ago,  and  I  said  twenty-five  hundred  dollars. 
He  said  he  believed  I  paid  less  than  two  hundred  and 
fifty,  but — I  feel  sorry  for  Crabbe. 

All  you  tell  me  of  Mr.  Shafto  is  welcome  reading. 
Stick  to  him  and  your  fortune  is  made.  How  odd  it  is 
that  Pyne  should  turn  up  again;  so  near  the  gallows  in 
Cheyenne  six  years  ago — Shafto's  secretary,  and  your 
associate,  to-day.  I  wonder  sometimes  if  that  sort  of 
thing  doesn't  happen  oftener  than  we  know.  There  were 
people  I  knew  in  the  8o's  and  haven't  heard  of  since, 
and  don't  wish  to  again ;  yet,  who  can  tell  ?  The  world 
is  a  pretty  small  place  and  I  have  seen,  as  yet,  but  a  small 
part  of  it,  but  somehow  I  feel  as  though  the  field  were 
widening  every  day.  Through  you  I  am  getting  to  know 
something  of  New  York,  where  I  have  never  been.  With 
you,  I  believe  this  nation  can't  go  on  much  longer  with- 
out having  to  take  a  hand  In  the  affairs  of  other  people. 
Things  are  pointing  to  Cuba,  Cuba  to  Spain,  and  Spain 
to — what?     The  army  has  been  a  humdrum  place  since 


242  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

the  Indians  succumbed,  but  another  century  is  close  upon 
us,  and  before  it  dawns — we  will  see  what  we  shall 
see. 

I  wish  I  might  see  you  at  the  head  of  your  battalion. 
I  feel  that  I  may  see  you  at  the  head  of  something 
bigger.  Listen  to  no  man  who  tells  you  a  soldier  is 
wasting  time  studying  and  practicing  his  profession. 
You  and  such  as  you  are  the  ones  who  will  be  first  in 
the  field  when  the  clash  comes,  and  the  clash  is  coming. 
Listen  to  the  murmuring  all  over  the  country.  Listen 
to  the  speeches  in  both  houses  of  Congress !  The  Presi- 
dent and  the  conservatives  are  doing  their  best  for  peace, 
but — what  are  they  among  so  many  ? 

The  Old  Man's  eyes  snapped  when  I  told  him  of  your 
meeting  with  "  Old  Hardtack."  He  "  scored  us  proper  " 
in  his  report,  but  didn't  we  deserve  much  of  it — or  most  ? 
I'm  glad  you  saw  our  old  cavalry  chief.  He  should  be 
the  first  general  at  the  front,  yet — who  is  to  decide  it  ? 

Thanks  you  for  tidings  of  Mrs.  Bullard.  The  bank 
hears  but  seldom,  and  I  believe  no  good  offer  has  been 
made  for  the  house.  He  cannot  have  too  much  ready 
money,  though  his  estate  ought  to  yield  handsomely. 
Mr.  Shafto  bought  in  at  a  good  time.  If  you  hear  how 
she — how  they  are  doing,  I  wish  you  would  let  me  know. 
And,  write  often,  Langham,  if  only  a  few  lines.     There's 


I 


COMRADES  IN   ARMS  MS 

nothing  here  worth  telHng  about  that  I  haven't  told,  and 
much  I  have  told  isn't  worth  the  reading. 
Yours  as  ever, 

Gridley. 

P.  S. — Oh,  about  the  row  over  at  the  reservation:  It 
seems  that  a  gang  of  French  half-breeds  had  been  hang- 
ing about  there  for  months.  They  had  to  quit  this 
neighborhood,  even  before  Bullard's  confession.  Blos- 
som has  tried  several  times  to  kidnap  them,  but  finally 
they  became  such  nuisances  that  the  agent  ordered  John 
Sword  and  his  Indian  police  to  run  them  off.  It  led  to 
quite  a  scrimmage,  unfortunately  indecisive  in  result,  as 
Belles  Pierres  and  Wolf  got  away.  Le  Gros  they  couldn't 
miss.  He  was  shot  twice,  and,  though  alive  at  last  ac- 
counts, will  be  in  no  condition  for  further  mischief. 

Did  Mrs.  Bullard  ever  mention  losing  anything  in  the 
struggle  at  the  cottonwoods? 

University  Club,  New  York  City,  May  7. 
Dear  Gridley: 

This  should  catch  you  at  San  Francisco.  How  won- 
derfully things  have  worked  out!  We  are  under  arms 
and  expect  marching  orders  any  moment.  I  may  even 
have  the  silver  leaves,  for  the  colonel  is  a  sure  shot  for 
brigadier  general,  both  senators  being  behind  him.    The 


244  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

senior  major  is  at  the  head  of  a  big  mercantile  concern 
here,  and  business  will  go  to  the  dogs  if  he  goes  to  war. 
He  says,  however,  that  he  cannot  resign  until  he  has  seen 
at  least  one  battle.  I'm  in  big  luck  anyhow.  Shafto  has 
given  me  two  horses  almost  as  good  as  Gordon,  and 
too  good  for  the  Cuban  climate.  We  expect  to  go  to 
Jacksonville  direct. 

And  you  are  destined  for  Manila.  Six  months  ago 
the  man  that  said  Uncle  Sam  would  ever  send  an  army 
across  the  Pacific  would  have  been  jeered  for  a  lunatic. 
Six  weeks  ago,  not  one  man  in  twenty  could  locate  the 
Philippines.  Six  days  ago,  the  whole  club  was  hunting 
for  Manila  on  the  map.  Hurrah  for  Dewey  and  your 
namesake  of  the  Olympia.  (I  didn't  know  you  had  any 
kindred  in  the  navy.  I  don't  believe  you  knew.  Per- 
haps it  isn't  kin,  but  it's  two  of  a  kind.) 

All  good  and  glory  go  with  you.     Hearty  greeting  and 

best  wishes  to  all. 

Yours, 

Langham. 

Camp  Merritt,  San  Francisco,  May  2y, 
Dear  Langham  : 

I  send  you  this  care  of  Percy  Shafto,  Esq.,  who  will 
doubtless  forward.  Yours  reached  me  here,  where 
twenty  thousand  troops  are  gathering,  and  we  go  among 


COMRADES   IN   ARMS  245 

the  first.  The  fourteenth  beat  your  old  regiment  for 
the  first  flotilla.  You  are  by  this  time  at  Jacksonville 
and  your  colonel  has  the  predicted  star,  I  see,  so  that 
turns  your  leaves  to  silver.     Good  luck  to  'em. 

Did  you  see  the  Bullards  before  leaving,  and  where 
can  one  address  them  ?  Our  squadron  may  not  get  away 
until  the  second,  or  even  third  expedition,  and  there  are 
some  matters  I  should  like  to  settle  before  going  on  for- 
eign service.  Wasn't  it  odd  that  our  squadron  and  the 
old  regiment  should  come  here  almost  together?  Belden 
commands  the  second  battalion.  Colonel  Mack  got  his 
volunteer  star,  as  you  know,  but  has  not  yet  received 
orders.  Some  of  the  families  came  with  us  so  as  to  be 
on  our  side  of  the  continent,  they  say,  while  we  are  on 
the  t'other  side  of  the  ocean.  Mrs.  Belden  and  Kitty 
are  in  town  at  the  Colonial,  which  is  crowded  with  army 
folk.  Mrs.  Mack,  Mrs.  Briggs,  and  some  of  the  brides, 
too,  are  there.  Crabbe  could  have  come  out  in  command 
of  ''  H  "  Company,  but  preferred  to  remain  in  "  C  "  and 
Belden's  battalion,  so  as  to  be  in  the  same  train  and  Pull- 
man with  Kitty,  who  cried  her  pretty  eyes  out,  and  I 
caught  her  at  it,  saying  good-by  to  Gordon.  I  had  to 
leave  them.  Our  four  troops  go  dismounted.  No  horses 
are  to  be  taken  by  the  officers,  and  what's  more  I  heeded 
what  you  said  and  sent  for  Fox,  who  had  been  having  2. 


246  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

hard,  but  I'm  told  reputable,  time  of  it,  and  left  him  in 
charge  of  them. 

The  bank  had  nothing  of  an  encouraging  nature  to 
tell  of  Bullard,  and  do  you  know  anything  as  to  their 
financial  condition?  Now  that  he  is  no  longer  fit  to 
manage  affairs,  I  somehow  fear  her  interests  may  sadly 
suffer.  Try  to  ascertain  and  let  me  know.  And,  you  didn't 
answer  my  question  as  to  Mrs.  Bullard.  Did  she  ever 
mention  having  lost  anything  in  the  struggle  at  the  cotton- 
woods  ? 

Shall  be  sending  you  a  cable  code  before  we  sail.  It 
will  give  me  much  comfort  to  be  referring  to  you  as 
Colonel  Langham,  and  I  know  how  little  Captain  Sparker 
and  Lieutenant  Crabbe  will  like  it.  Just  suppose  your 
regiment  had  been  sent  to  join  the  Manila  expedition 
(and  why  not,  since  Pennsylvania  is — and  New  York 
may  be — represented)  ?  Suppose  your  regiment  were 
here  and  brigaded  with  your  old  one !  What  possibilities 
might  not  result!  Belden  has  just  dropped  in  to  ask  me 
to  dine  with  him  and  his  in  town.  Sends  best  wishes. 
Most  of  them  say  most  cordial  regards.  I  don't  quite 
understand  Belden.  You  never  had  any  difference  with 
him,  had  you  ?  He  doesn't  seem  responsive,  so  to  speak, 
and  I  thought  you  liked  him.  It  may  be  Mrs.  Belden 
has  some  lingering  notion — some  had,  you  know,  about 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  247 

the  affair  to  which  Bullard  referred  in  his  fool  confes- 
sion— and  the  best  of  men  are  sometimes  influenced  by 
anything  but  the  best  of  women. 

Yours  as  ever, 

Gridley. 

Jacksonville,  June  15. 
Dear  Gridley  : 

Good  luck  and  God  speed.  I  know  you  are  glad  to 
be  going.  This  may  even  be  too  late,  but  not  until  to-day 
did  we  get  the  news  that  you  as  well  as  the  old  regiment 
were  slated  for  the  next  sailing.  I  wired  Shafto  to  see 
the  Bullards  the  moment  they  reached  New  York.  He 
reports  Bullard  very  feeble  and  quite  childlike,  and  Mrs. 
Bullard  with  him  constantly.  They  have  means  suf- 
ficient, but  not  abundant.  Some  properties  are  idle. 
Shafto  will  keep  an  eye  on  them.  I  cannot  remember 
her  having  mentioned  losing  anything  during  her  struggle 
with  her  abductors.  What  was  it  ?  The  "  codex  "  came 
and  shall  be  utilized. 

I've  got  my  step  all  right,  and  don't  much  like  it.  A 
major  amounts  to  something  in  the  new  dispensation,  a 
lieutenant  colonel  to  nothing.  The  new  head  of  the 
regiment  has  long  been  a  mere  lay  figure  under  our 
former  colonel,  and  now  he  has  all  manner  of  theories 
to  work  out,  and  no  more  use  for  me  than  his  colonel 


MS  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

had  for  him.  We  are  all  beginning  to  chafe  with  im- 
patience. The  regulars  are  being  embarked.  The  State 
troops  are  doing  nothing  but  drill,  stew,  and  swear.  How 
I  wish  we  had  been  sent  to  the  Pacific !  I  feel  it  in  my 
bones  you  have  stirring  times  ahead,  and  we  have  nothing 
but  stagnation. 

What  you  tell  me  of  Belden  is  both  a  surprise  and  a 
sorrow.  I  liked  and  respected  him  more  than  any  man 
in  the  regiment — more,  even,  than  dear  old  Mack,  who 
was  so  stanch  a  friend.  I  can't  imagine  what  I  have 
done  to  make  him  distrust  or  dislike  me,  though  Mrs. 
Belden,  as  you  suggest,  seemed  distinctly  unfriendly  at 
times.  As  for  Kitty,  who  would  ever  do  anything  that 
would  give  her  annoyance?  God  bless  you,  old  chap! 
You  well  know  how  eagerly  I'll  watch  for  news  of  you. 

Faithfully  yours, 

Langham. 

•New  York  City,  May  20,  '99. 
Dear  Gridley  : 

I  brought  .he  regiment  home  in  good  shape,  and  we 
were  duly  mustered  out  last  month.  Well,  we  had  no 
fighting  such  as  fell  to  your  lot  and  that  of  the  old  regi- 
ment, but  if  I  haven't  had  a  valuable  experience  keeping 
a  sick  and  disgusted  and  disappointed  lot  of  officers  and 
men  in  trim,  long  after  every  chance  of  distinction  wa5 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  249 

gone,  call  me  a  duffer.  Long  ago  as  last  October  they 
began  clamoring  to  be  mustered  out.  In  November 
Colonel  Marsden  threw  up  the  sponge  and  quit,  leaving 
to  me  his  eagles  and  a  sea  of  troubles.  But — just  glance 
over  these  copies  of  letters  from  various  brigade,  division, 
and  corps  commanders.  (The  originals  are  filed  in  the 
family  Bible,  where  Shafto  goes  and  bKnks  over  them.) 
Other  copies,  with  a  ripping  letter  from  Governor  Roose- 
velt, went  with  my  application  for  a  lieutenant  colonelcy 
in  the  National  Volunteers.  Then,  old  chap,  "we'll  meet 
at  (the)  Philippi-nes."  Both  senators  are  with  the  gov- 
ernor, so  it  looks  like  a  sure  shot.  Shafto  says  I'm  a 
fool  to  go,  and  offers  me  more  than  colonel's  pay  to 
stay,  but  my  heart's  in  it. 

Interrupted,  and  now  it's  May  25,  and  it's  come,  by 
Jove!  They  offer  me  senior  major  of  the  3 — th,  and  I 
accept.  Had  hoped,  of  course,  for  a  grade  higher,  but 
it's  all  right.  Other  field  officers  to  be  West  Pointers. 
Glad  you  have  your  captaincy.  Look  for  us  in  the  fall 
or  early  winter.  Belden  is  to  be  colonel  of  one  of  the 
regiments.     Don't  know  which. 

Saw  the  Bullards  last  week.  They  live  quietly,  but 
in  apparent  ease,  on  Long  Island.  He  is  still  dependent 
upon  her  for  almost  ever>'thing,  and  it  is  sad  to  watch 
him,  and  touching  to  watch  her.     The  doctors  do  not 


250  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

care  to  say  how  long  he  can  last.  Mrs.  Bullard  tells 
me  nothing  has  been  heard  from  the  once  importunate. 
What  can  have  become  of  that  woman  ? 

Yours  as  ever, 

Langham. 

U.  S.  Transport  "  Amanuensis," 

Honolulu,  October  20,  '99. 
Dear  Gridley: 

We  dropped  anchor  just  before  sunset  and  must  "  lay 
by  "  here  the  hoith  of  a  week  for  repairs.  The  skipper 
says  our  '*  brand  new  hull  has  damned  old  holes,"  so  I'm 
sending  you  these  lines  by  the  Doric,  sailing  at  dawn.  It 
has  been  an  interesting  voyage  thus  far,  if  not  an  event- 
ful one.  The  death  of  our  gallant  colonel,  whom,  thanks 
to  his  severe  wounds,  we  never  saw,  gave  me  the  silver 
leaves  again  last  month,  and  the  command  of  the  hetero- 
geneous array  on  this  marine  monster.  (God  grant  she 
may  not  become  a  submarine  before  we  leave  her!)  The 
colonel,  with  band,  and  second  and  third  battalions, 
screwed  ahead  on  the  Sheridan,  leaving  me  to  bring  the 
first  battalion — my  old  one — and  the  third  squadron  of 
the  — th  cavalry,  a  number  of  Red  Cross  people,  several 
officers  of  the  line  and  staff  going  out  to  Manila,  among 
them  five  returned  from  sick  leave,  and  of  these  five, 


COMRADES  IN   ARMS  251 

Lieutenant  Crabbe;  finally,  the  wives  and  families  of 
certain  officers  already  in  the  islands,  among  these,  Mrs. 
and  Miss  Belden,  which  accounts  for  the  presence  of 
Crabbe.  He  could  and  should  have  gone  by  the  Grant, 
or,  at  least,  by  the  Sheridan,  but  managed  to  hold  over 
for  the  Amanuensis,  in  spite  of  its  being  known  that  I 
was  to  go  in  command. 

And,  Gridley,  I  foresee  trouble.  There  was  not  the 
faintest  friction  at  the  start.  The  officers  of  the  cavalry 
and  these  reporting  as  passengers  were  courteous,  sol- 
dierly, and  subordinate.  With  only  two  or  three  excep- 
tions they  accepted  the  situation  with  every  appearance 
of  cordiality.  In  Crabbe's  case  there  was  an  objection- 
able access  of  cordiality.  He  came  on  board  as  I  was 
giving  instructions  to  the  officer-of-the-day,  and  accost- 
ing me  as  "  Langham,  old  boy,"  expressed  his  delight  at 
going  over  with  "  a  former  chum,"  and  all  but  clapped 
me  on  the  back.  My  own  officers  looked  queer,  and  the 
men  amazed.  I  shook  hands  with  him  civilly  enough, 
but  couldn't  be,  and  wouldn't  be,  chummy ;  we  never  had 
been  and  he  knew  it.  The  moment  I  could  take  him  into 
my  stateroom  I  did  so,  and  there,  privately,  told  him  he 
should  have  every  right  and  courtesy  due  an  officer  of 
the  regular  army,  but  that  nothing  in  our  past  warranted 
his  assumption  of  familiarity,  and  it  was  something  not 


252  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

to  be  repeated.  He  said  he  only  meant  to  assure  me  that 
bygones  were  bygones  (which  magnanimity  I  could  not 
quite  reciprocate),  but  he  looked  black  as  the  devil  I'm 
beginning  to  believe  him  to  be.  "  Of  course,"  said  he, 
"  if  you're  going  to  spring  your  rank  on  me  I've  nothing 

to   say   now,   but "     *' But   what,   Mr.   Crabbe?"   I 

asked,  and  he  muttered  something  about  accidents  in  high 
station ;  then  left,  I  ought  to  have  called  him  back — and 
to  account — right  then  and  there,  but  it  might  have  looked 
like  "  rubbing  it  in,"  don't  you  see,  so  I  let  it  go.  Mis- 
take No.  I. 

Next.  The  arrangement  of  seats  at  table  had  to  be 
settled  first  thing.  There  were  two  tables  at  which  ten 
persons  were  to  be  seated.  One  of  these  was  the  com- 
manding officer's,  the  other  the  ship  captain's.  The 
others  accommodated  twenty  each  at  the  sides  and  two  at 
the  ends.  The  quartermaster  in  charge  asked  me  to 
name  the  officers  and  ladies  to  sit  at  my  table,  and  he 
would  assign  the  others.  Looking  over  the  list  I  found 
the  wives  of  two  colonels  (Hill  and  Belden),  each  with 
grown  daughters,  Mrs.  Hill  with  two,  Mrs.  Belden  with 
one.  That  settled  it.  Mrs.  Hill  sat  to  my  right,  Mrs. 
Belden  to  my  left;  Dr.  Forrest  (I't.  col.  vols.)  sat  next 
Mrs.  Hill ;  Lieut.  Colonel  Sheller  (ordinance  department), 
next  Mrs.  Belden ;  Daisy  Hill  next  Dr.  Forrest,  "  Topsy  " 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  253 

Hill  (a  joy  of  a  girl  she)  next  Colonel  Sheller.  My 
adjutant  sat  facing  me,  with  Kitty  Belden  to  his  right 
and  next  Topsy.  That  left  one  seat,  and  Barton,  the 
adjutant,  came  to  me  in  an  embarrassed  way  and  said 
Lieut.  Crabbe  had  been  to  him  to  say  that  he  was  an 
old  regimental  and  personal  friend  of  the  Beldens,  and 
that  they  especially  desired  that  he  should  be  seated  with 
them.  We  had  pulled  out  from  Folsom  Wharf  by  that 
time  and  were  at  anchor  in  the  bay,  waiting  final  instruc- 
tions from  headquarters.  I  had  seen  the  Beldens  but 
twice  since  reaching  'Frisco — Mrs.  Belden  quite  as  for- 
midable and  Miss  Kitty  not  as  friendly,  somehow,  as  of 
old.  She  is  a  young  lady  now,  very  lovely,  very  cor- 
rect, very  everything,  I  dare  say,  she  should  be,  but  no 
longer  our  Kitty,  our  sweet,  winsome,  daring,  darling 
Kitty,  and  she  meant  me,  I  thought,  to  see  this,  and  see 
it  I  did — and  more.  And  then  I  saw  how  he  stood  guard 
over  her,  and  heard  how  inseparable  they  were,  and,  of 
course,  when  this  matter  came  up  in  such  a  way,  what 
could  I  say  or  do  but  assent?  I  had  thought  of  giving 
that  seat  to  Train,  major  and  quartermaster  of  volun- 
teers, a  capital  fellow,  obviously  smitten  with  Daisy  Hill. 
I  knew  how  he  wanted  it,  but  Barton  prevailed  against 
his  own  wish,  I  believe,  and  I  was  just  on  the  point  of 
saying,  "  Then  give  it  to  Mr.  Crabbe,"  when,  as  I  live, 


254  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

there  stood  Kitty  Belden  herself,  and  for  the  first  time 
looking  as  though  she  really  wished  to  speak  with  me. 
The  table  card  was  in  my  hand ;  Barton  had  brought  it, 
and  she  had  followed  him  through  a  swarm  of  people 
along  the  port  gangway  bidding  good-by  to  other 
swarms  on  the  McDowell. 

"  What  is  it,  Miss  Belden  ? "  I  asked,  stepping  for- 
ward to  meet  her. 

"  Oh,  Colonel  Langham,"  said  she,  with  lowered  voice 
— and  eyelids.  "I  know  you  are  assigning  seats,  and 
couldn't  you  put  Major  Train  next  Daisy  Hill?  You 
don't  know  how  they'd  bless  you,  though  she'd  murder 
me  if  she  thought  I  mentioned  it !  "  And  Miss  Kitty's 
beautiful  eyes  were  ablaze,  and  her  face — by  Jove,  Grid- 
ley,  you  don't  begin  to  know  how  pretty  she's  grown — 
was  all  flushing  with  excitement,  and  it  just  suited  me 
to  say :  *'  It  would  be  a  pleasure,  but  that  would — sacri- 
fice Mr.  Crabbe." 

"  I  didn't  know,"  said  Miss  Kitty,  "  Mr.  Crabbe  was 
even  thought  of."  It  was  at  the  tip  of  my  tongue — God 
forgive  me  for  being  so  mean,  even  for  a  minute — to 
say,  "  He  says  it  is  at  your  request,  or  your  mother's." 
How  we  do — not  you,  but  humans  like  me — have  to  buck 
against  our  brute  natures.  What  I  did  say  was,  "  Well, 
]\Ir.  Crabbe  is  your  oldest  friend  on  the  passenger  list, 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  255 

and  is  of  your  own  regiment."  And  the  answer  came 
like  a  shot : 

"  Put  Major  Train  next  Daisy  anyway.  Then  if  you 
must  have  Mr.  Crabbe,  Topsy  and  I  can  go  to  Major 
Blake's  table.  We'd  rather  sit  there  anyhow !  "  And 
with  flashing  eyes  and  flushing  cheeks,  away  she  went. 
Why,  Gridley,  those  girls  had  talked  it  all  over  among 
themselves,  I  believe — she  and  Topsy,  at  least,  and  there's 
a  brace  of  thoroughbreds  that  won't  take  gently  to  even 
a  snaflle.  It  ended,  of  course,  in  Barton  telling  Crabbe 
there  was  only  one  seat  that  could  be  given,  and  that 
went  to  Major  Train,  his  senior.  This  is  doubly  rougH 
on  Crabbe,  because  Train  was  graduated  two  years  after 
Crabbe  got  his  commission. 

Now,  I  have  had  hardly  ten  words  with  Kitty  Belden 
during  the  ten  days  it  took  this  tub  to  get  from  sight  of 
Alcatraz  to  soundings  oflf  Honolulu.  She  and  Topsy 
Hill  have  turned  things  topsy-turvy.  A  madder,  merrier 
pair  of  army  girls  you  never  saw  in  all  your  born  days. 
Even  the  fog  of  the  Farallones  and  the  heave  of  the  sea 
failed  to  dampen  their  spirits.  They  alone  at  my  table 
haven't  missed  a  meal.  One  day  I  couldn't  face  the  fam- 
ily circle,  though  I  never  missed  inspection.  Crabbe  was 
woefully  sick  the  fourth  day  out,  and  has  been  in  the 
dumps  from  the  start.    Everybody  says  she  is  tormenting 


256  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

him  to  the  verge  of  insanity,  yet  whenever  I  come  across 
them  she  is  listening  with  absorbed  attention — ^and  I  seem 
forever  coming  across  them.  To-morrow  the  ladies  go 
ashore  to  spend  a  few  days  at  the  Royal  Hawaiian  for 
change,  and  most  of  the  officers  go  too,  except  my  own. 
The  staff  and  passengers,  of  course,  require  no  permis- 
sion. Crabbe  has  avoided  me  since  the  first  day — never 
sees  me,  or  salutes.  I  ought  to  cinch  him  and  would,  if 
he  weren't  Crabbe.    Mistake  No.  2. 

We've  got  a  lot  of  ammunition  aboard,  and  the  fifth 
night  out  we  were  wallowing  a  good  deal,  I  thought,  and 
many  men  were  busy  at  the  rail.  Captain  Che}Tie,  of  the 
ship,  grabbed  me  and  whispered  that  there  was  fire  below. 
We  had  had  fire  quarters  every  day,  for  sake  of  drill  and 
discipline,  wnth  the  alarm  sounded  at  some  odd  hour,  but 
never  at  night.  We  got  down  there  in  no  time.  The 
smoke  was  dense  and  suffocating.  Some  oil-soaked  waste 
from  the  engine-room  started  it,  said  Cheyne.  The  men 
did  well ;  so  did  most  officers.  When  I  got  out,  after  the 
fire,  my  lungs  were  full  of  this  vile  stuff.  Twas  that  that 
made  me  so  sick  next  day.  There  were  a  few  minutes  in 
which  I  lost  consciousness.  It  seems  they  hauled  me  out 
by  the  heels,  and  the  doctors  had  some  trouble  fetching 
me  round.  Cheyne  and  I  were  first  in — it  was  our  busi- 
ness, and  he,  too,  toppled  over  toward  the  last.     The 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  257 

Court  of  Inquiry  is  sitting  now,  and  it  looks  as  though 
the  chief  engineer  would  come  in  for  a  scoring.  He's  a 
surly,  truculent  Scotch-Englishman,  and  Cheyne  says  he 
must  have  been  drinking  on  this  voyage.  Next  evening 
after  the  fire  I  was  sitting  out  on  the  hurricane  deck  with 
Cheyne,  everybody  else  being  on  the  promenade  or  else 
below.  We  heard  the  chaff  and  comment  between  the 
youngsters  in  the  cavalry  squadron  and  some  of  my  junior 
officers,  and  Crabbe  came  in  for  comment. 

"  He  was  scared  into  the  lee  scuppers,"  said  young 
Rafferty,  of  my  battalion,  and  then  came  something  I 
couldn't  hear,  and  Cheyne  and  I  quit  our  seats  and  walked 
out  on  the  bridge  beyond  earshot,  but  he  had  heard  and 
looked  queerly  at  me.  "  They  don't  seem  to  like  Lieu- 
tenant Crabbe,"  said  he  presently.  "  And  I — well — I 
don't  wish  to  say  anything  about  your  officers,  colonel, 
but  that  man  strikes  rae  as  being  a  mischief-maker,  to 
say  the  least," 

I  like  Cheyne.  He's  a  seaman  of  the  old  school,  but 
he  doesn't  like  his  job  or  his  ship  or  his  engineer,  and 
I'm  more  than  afraid  he's  going  to  resign  and  go  back  to 
'Frisco.  He  can  get  a  better  berth,  he  says,  with  little 
delay.  Well,  there  goes  four  bells — 2  A.  M. — and  the 
lights  are  dancing  on  the  rising  tide.  I've  written  to 
Shafto,  and  now  must  turn  in.     This  is  your  one  long 


S58  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

letter  for  '99.  May  we  meet  In  the  flesh,  and  that  right 
soon.  Mrs.  and  Miss  Belden  both  desire  to  be  cordially 
remembered.  Mrs.  Belden  was  really  affable  at  tifiin. 
She  has  seldom  appeared  at  table  during  the  voyage,  pre- 
ferring the  seclusion  of  her  cabin  (mal  de  mer  does  play 
havoc  with  women  of  uncertain  age),  but  Mrs.  Hill  has 
been  a  delightful  companion. 

Yet  I  wish  the  voyage  was  over  and  our  passenger  list 

ashore  at  Manila. 

Yours  as  ever, 

Langham. 

U.  S.  Transport  "Amanuensis/' 

Manila,  November  20th,  1899. 
Dear  Gridley: 

Major  Blake,  of  your  old  regiment,  who  came  out  in 
command  of  the  squadron,  said  the  reason  this  ship  was 
named  the  Amanuensis  was  that  she  wasn't  self-righting. 
He's  a  bird !  I  used  to  hear  Baker  and  Briggs  and  others 
talk  of  him  at  Minneconjou,  never  dreaming  that  the 
time  would  come  when  I  should  be  commanding  officer 
to  a  fellow  who  had  held  a  commission  since  before  I  was 
bom. 

Thank  God  I  had  such  officers  and  men,  for  while  I 
might  have  been  young  for  a  lieutenant  colonel  when 
we  left  Honolulu,  I'm  old  enough  now  for  anything  at 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  259 

the  top,  and  all  because  we  barely  escaped  going  to  the 
bottom. 

It  was  a  dismal  voyage  for  a  fact.  Cheyne  resigned, 
as  I  expected,  at  Honolulu,  and  his  first  officer  took 
charge ;  a  fair  seaman,  probably,  but  not  the  commander 
Cheyne  was.  Some  of  the  women,  too,  were  wise  and 
stayed  behind  (the  Hills  among  them,  to  Kitty  Belden's 
grief)  so  as  to  come  in  ahead.  But  many  of  the  number, 
including  our  old  friends,  stood  by  the  ship.  Things  went 
from  bad  to  worse  in  the  engine-room  from  the  day  we 
started,  and  reached  their  climax  when,  after  passing  the 
volcano,  and  near  east  longitude  130,  we  struck  a  typhoon. 
Don't  expect  me  to  describe  it.  Most  of  the  men  showed 
splendid  nerve.  So  did  many  of  the  women,  though  they 
were  as  a  rule  strapped  in  their  berths.  But  the  engines 
"  petered  "  and  we  could  hardly  keep  her  head  on  to  the 
tremendous  seas.  The  chief  engineer  flopped,  as  Cheyne 
said  he  would,  and  then  got  full  and  defied  the  new  cap- 
tain. He's  been  locked  in  his  stateroom  with  a  sentry 
over  him.  ever  since.  Officers  and  men  had  to  work  at 
the  pumps  when  it  was  all  they  could  do  to  keep  a  foot- 
ing. Three  seamen  and  four  boats  were  washed  away. 
The  bridge  was  smashed.  No  food  except  hardtack  could 
be  served  out  for  nearly  three  days,  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  racket  Blake  was  hurled  across  the  deck  and  broke  a 


260  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

leg.  Several  more  were  badly  injured,  but  our  friend 
Crabbe  is  sound.  He  never  showed  outside  his  cabin 
door.  We  limped  in  past  Corregidor  this  morning,  and 
Belden  was  out  in  a  steam  launch  to  meet  us  before  we 
were  near  our  anchorage.  The  Hills  had  arrived  on  the 
Arizona,  and  told  of  meeting  nasty  weather  and  seeing 
what  must  have  been  the  tail  of  a  typhoon.  He  had 
almost  given  up,  and  his  face  was  a  sight  when  he  saw 
theirs. 

Belden  may  have  been  hearing  tarradiddles,  but  he 
rather  took  me  aback  by  the  warmth  of  his  manner  when 
he  went  over  the  side  at  sunset.  Mrs.  Belden  was  ex- 
haustively expressive,  too.  I  don't  know  what  to  think 
of  Kitty.  She  came  out  like  a  little  heroine  in  the  height 
of  the  storm,  and  went  back  like  a  little  clam  when  we 
got  in  safe  soundings.  And  now  they're  gone,  and  Vm 
feeling  used  up.  Belden  says  you  are  far  to  the  north 
beyond  the  railway,  and  that  there's  work  ahead  for  all 
of  us.  Our  men  are  to  disembark  in  the  morning.  At 
last  we  are  here !  Now,  for  business !  I  hope  and  pray 
it's  with  Lawton. 

Yours  as  ever, 

Langham. 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  261 

Manila,  November  21. 
Dear  Gridley: 

My  wife  and  daughter  reached  me  in  safety  yesterday 
after  a  terrible  voyage  in  a  veritable  tub,  and  Fm  writing 
this  to  you  because  I  think  you  should  know  from  me 
what  you  will  never  hear  from  Langham — what  an  out- 
and-out  soldier,  sailor,  commander,  and  man  he  has 
proved  himself  to  be.  Sheller,  Blake  (poor  fellow,  there's 
no  campaigning  for  him,  I  fear ;  his  left  leg  is  broken  in 
two  places),  the  ship's  officers,  as  well  as  many  of  the 
command,  say  Langham  never  lay  down  for  sixty-eight 
hours;  never  lost  his  head  or  hope;  w^as  cool,  resolute, 
master  of  the  situation  all  through,  and  has  more  than 
justified  everything  you  ever  said  or  thought  of  him. 
Mrs.  Belden  is  still  feeling  the  effects  of  the  tr>'ing  expe- 
rience, but  she  says  what  they  all  say,  that  Langham  was 
ever>'thing.  She  and  Kitty  join  me  in  cordial  regards.  I 
am  proud  of  Kit  and  what  they  tell  me  of  her.  We  shall 
be  here,  at  least  they  will,  for  several  weeks.  My  regi- 
m.ent  is  not  yet  in  shape  to  take  the  field.  Between  our- 
selves, old  friend,  I  haven't  the  field  officers  I  wish  I  had. 
Why  didn't  you  go  in  for  volunteer  rank?  Langham 
and  his  three  majors  are  models,  so  their  colonel  declares, 
and  I  know  he  was  opposed  to  Langham  at  the  start.  I 
own,  too,  that  I  may  have  been  unjust  to  him  in— certain 


262  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

ways.     But  there  is  no  denying  his  splendid  quahties  as 

an  officer. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Belden. 

To  Captain  James  Gridley,  — th  Cavalry, 
Pangasinan  or  Beyond : 

Manila,  November  25. 
Dear  Gridley  : 

Things  are  moving.  To  the  disgust  and  disappoint- 
ment of  nine  out  of  ten  of  our  officers,  the  regiment  is 
ordered  to  detachment  duty  in  the  Camarines,  with  pros- 
pects of  Samar.  The  general  frankly  says  it  will  be  scat- 
tered all  over  the  provinces,  company  by  company.  The 
field  officers  will  be  fifty-fifth  wheels  to  a  coach.  Bel- 
den's  fellows  are  in  far  better  luck.  They  go  out  to  Law- 
ton's  division.  I  have  talked  the  matter  over  with  Colonel 
Goodman,  who  is  all  the  name  implies.  He  is  quite  as 
cut  up  as  I  am — as  are  his  majors  three — but  he's  a  sol- 
dier, a  West  Pointer,  and  can't  say  anything,  and  mustn't. 
The  majors  are  as  badly  off  as  he,  but  they've  either  got 
to  go  and  command  one-company  posts  in  measly  little 
bamboo  villages,  with  never  a  chance  of  seeing  their  bat- 
talion together,  or  a  day  of  real  campaigning,  or  else  pull 
■wires  for  other  duty.  The  colonel  agrees  with  me :  If  I 
wish  to  see  sendee  it  must  be  with  some  field  column,  and 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  MS 

he  approves  my  applying  for  such  duty.  We're  to  see 
the  chief  at  eleven  to-day.  He  has  been  most  kind  since 
the  Amanuensis  story  got  out,  though  the  engineer 
skipped  away  to  Hong  Kong  and  says  he  means  to  make 
an  international  affair  of  it  if  I  don't  put  up  a  thousand 
pounds  hush  money  forthwith.  Barton,  who  was  my 
adjutant,  swears  that  he  saw  him  and  Crabbe  champaign- 
ing  together  aboard  the  Esmeralda  just  before  she  sailed. 
I  have  not  set  eyes  on  Crabbe  since  we  arrived.  The  old 
regiment  is  under  orders  for  Samar,  and  Crabbe,  who 
missed  Zapote  Bridge  and  half  a  dozen  other  keen  scrim- 
mages, must  go  with  them.  So  he's  making  the  best  of 
his  time  meanwhile.  The  Beldens  are  guests  of  General 
and  Mrs.  Gillette,  down  Malate  way,  and  I  have  seen 
them  driving  each  evening  on  the  Luneta  since  we  landed, 
Crabbe  usually  in  close  attendance.  That  man  has  per- 
tinacity in  love  and  hate,  I  fancy. 

I  went  there  to  call,  but,  while  the  elders  are  most  cor- 
dial, I  am  completely  out  with  Kitty.  You  have  no  idea 
how  she  has  changed.  A  beauty?  Yes,  but  such  a 
willful  piece  of  coquetry !  Well,  you  wouldn't  believe  it 
was  our  Kitty  of  Minneconjou  days.  Actually  I  feel 
snubbed  six  times  a  minute — Crabbe's  doing,  possibly, 
yet  how  can  she  put  up  with  that  cad  ? 

You  know  all  about  the  Luneta,  so  I  shan't  describe, 


264  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

but  how  so  many  men  can  be  content  to  be  dawdling 
about  so  many  carriages,  when  there's  so  much  going  on 
in  every  direction  in  the  field,  passes  my  comprehension. 
Blake  grins  over  the  sight  from  a  balcony  window,  with 
his  leg  in  splints  and  his  jaw  in  a  sling  (he  says  to  keep 
him  from  swearing),  and  the  veteran  is  having  the  time 
of  his  life  abusing  the  war  department,  the  transport 
service,  the  hospital  corps,  and  matters  in  general.  I'm 
quartered  with  him  until  matters  are  decided.  He  is 
twice  my  age,  and  yet  a  good  deal  of  a  boy.  One  thing 
only  has  received  favorable  mention  at  his  hands.  Miss 
Belden  came  riding  by  last  evening  in  khaki  and  hat,  on 
an  English  horse  and  saddle,  and  the  long-legged  old  dra- 
goon said :  "  There's  the  one  picture  I've  seen  that  makes 
this  life  endurable,  but  look  at  Crabbe !  "  He  was  strad- 
dling a  Filipino  pony  six  sizes  too  small  for  him,  with  a 
McClellan  saddle  six  sizes  too  big  for  the  pony.  Here's 
the  colonel,  so  we  must  go. 

6  P.  M. 
It's  settled!  I'm  to  take  dispatches  and  the  gunboat 
Plattshurg,  land  somewhere  along  the  coast  line  of  Ilocos 
Sur,  and  find  the  cavalry  column  anywhere  inland,  re- 
porting to  the  general  commanding  for  such  duty  as  he 
may  decide.  Good-by  to  the  3 — th  for  a  time,  at  least; 
Fm  going  for  a  trooper.     Oh,  for  Gordon  and  Cham- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  265 

pion !     We  sail  at  daybreak,  and  if  you  and  I  don't  meet 
within  a  month,  it  will  be  no  fault  of 

Yours  as  ever, 

Langham. 
P.  S. — ^A  letter  from  Mrs.  Bullard  followed  me  from 
'Frisco.  She  says  Mr.  Bullard  is  much  as  usual.  They 
have  no  serious  money  anxieties,  though,  of  course,  his 
investments  have  suffered.  In  answer  to  my  questions 
as  to  whether  she  lost  anything  that  evening,  she  says 
she  wore  no  jewelry,  of  course,  and  had  nothing  she 
could  lose  but  her  hat,  crop,  or  handkerchief.  Her  hat 
was  ruined,  her  crop  somewhat  smashed,  but  the  wrecks 
went  with  her  up  the  range.  She  never  missed  the  hand- 
kerchief. It  was  in  the  saddle  pocket.  She  asks  me  to 
deliver  a  message  to  Kitty  Belden,  who  is  going  to  the 
dance  at  the  Lawtons'  to-night.  I  have  too  much  to  do 
'twixt  now  and  sailing  time.    No  dance  for  me. 


CHAPTER  I 

MANILA    AND    THE    GENERAL' S    BALL. 

FOR  a  man  with  too  much  to  do  to  prevent  his 
attending  a  dance  at  the  division  general's,  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Langham  put  in  rather  a  good 
part  of  the  night.  The  captain  of  the  port,  a  genial  sailor 
of  the  old  school,  had  arranged  to  send  his  field  kit  to  the 
ship  as  soon  as  it  could  be  trundled  over  to  the  office  on 
the  north  side.  The  captain  of  the  Plattshurg  had  met 
him  at  headquarters  in  the  Ayuntamento  and  told  him 
the  officer  of  the  deck  would  be  notified  of  his  coming, 
and  all  he  had  to  do  was  get  aboard  before  dawn.  At 
8.15  the  quartermaster's  people  had  called  for  his  kit. 
At  9.30,  in  immaculate  white  uniform,  the  bearer  of 
dispatches-to-be  was  driving  over  to  the  Puente  Ayala, 
and  his  tiny  cochero  and  pugnacious  little  team  were 
,' speedily  swallowed  up  in  a  seething  maelstrom  of  other 
teams,  vehicles,  and  cocheros  in  the  paved  and  graveled 
court  of  the  beautiful  old  Spanish  residence  on  the  banks 
of  the  Pasig.  Army,  navy,  and  civil  societ>%  American, 
seemed  out  in  goodly  numbers,  though  the  afYair  was  in 
no  sense  formal.     But  a  famous  Filipino  orchestra  was 

2QQ 


COMRADES  IN  :^RMS  267 

playing  delightful  waltz  music  as  Langham  ascended  the 
broad  stairway  to  the  second  story,  and  thirty  couples,  at 
least,  w^re  revolving  and  reversing — men  and  women 
both  in  cool,  white  raiment,  as  a  rule.  The  dancing  floor 
was  admirable,  the  scene  was  of  gladness,  peace,  and 
beauty. 

Langham  paid  his  respects  to  the  hostess  and  to  the 
fair  women  receiving  with  her ;  chatted  a  moment  or  two 
with  Mrs.  Hill,  who  w^as  not  slow  to  note  that  his  eyes 
and  thoughts  were  wandering ;  watched  the  dancers,  most 
of  them  strangers  to  him;  bowed,  after  a  third  attempt 
to  catch  Kitty  Belden's  laughing  glance  as  she  went 
floating  by,  waltzing  with  an  appreciative  A.  D.  C.  of 
the  commanding  general,  and  finally  felt  himself  seized 
by  the  elbows  from  behind  and  bidden  in  deep,  tragic, 
and  commanding  tone  to  "  Brace,  sir ;  promptly ! "  It 
was  Topsy  Hill,  as  he  knew  at  the  instant,  and  Topsy, 
merry,  mischievous,  irresponsible,  was  applying  old  cadet 
methods  to  his  unconsciously  drooping  carriage,  his 
spirits  having  gone  to  his  shoulders.  It  was  good  to  look 
in  Topsy's  blithe,  winsome,  welcoming  face.  Besides, 
she  was  Kitty  Belden's  "  inseparable,"  and  he  had  not 
seen  her  to  speak  to  except  for  one  crowded  moment  on 
the  Luneta.  He  whirled  about  and  seized  the  little  hands 
that  had  squared  his  elbows,  and  dropped  one  to  shake 


g68  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

hands  with  the  subaltern  escort,  whose  name  escaped 
him,  and  who  didn't  Hke  it  that  a  man  with  a  "  Mex.  com- 
mission "  should  take  up  so  much  of  her  time,  attention, 
and—hands.  He  told  her  so  when  finally  he  managed  to 
lead  her  away,  and  got  this  for  his  answer : 

"  Pat  Langham !  Thinking  of  me !  You  lunatic !  Just 
look  at  him!  He  has  forgotten  us  both  already.  He 
hasn't  a  thought  for  any  soul  on  earth  but  Kitty  Belden !  " 

All  of  which  was  precisely  true. 

At  10.15,  seeing  Miss  Belden  seated  for  a  moment 
while  her  partner  was  foraging,  Langham  ventured 
across  the  floor,  and  she  saw  him  coming,  without  seeing 
him,  and  she  talked  over  her  shoulder,  through  the  open 
casement,  to  a  girl  on  the  balcony.  Crabbe,  too,  was  on 
guard,  and  sped  to  her  side.  Crabbe  reached  her  quite 
as  soon  as  Langham,  and  stood  close  at  hand,  while  she, 
very  pleasantly,  returned  the  New  Yorker's  greeting  and 
asked  if  he  were  still  feeling  any  ill  effects  from  the 
voyage.  Langham  knew  Crabbe  was  at  his  elbow,  and 
as  Crabbe  for  weeks  had  ignored  him,  he  took  no  notice 
whatever  of  Crabbe.  But  he  would  not  in  Crabbe's  pres- 
ence mention  Mrs.  Bullard,  therefore  withheld  for  the 
time  the  message. 

"  I  came  to  see  if  you  had  one  dance  for  me,  Miss 
Belden." 


COMRADES  IN  !ARMS  269 

"Rather  late,  isn't  it,  Mr. — Colonel  Langham?  How 
is  it,  Mr.  Crabbe;  have  we  one  left  we  can  give — the 
colonel  ?  " 

The  voice  and  manner  were  sweet  as  Persian  sherbet — 
iced,  but  the  words  were  enough  to  make  Langham  bite 
his  lip.  She  seemed  bent  on  using  her  queendom  to  com- 
pel him  to  appeal  to  her  escort,  the  objectionable,  but  this 
Langham  would  not  do.  He  turned  slightly,  bowed  form- 
ally, said  "  Good-evening,  Mr.  Crabbe,"  ignoring  en- 
tirely Crabbe's  air  of  possession,  and  possible  dispensa- 
tion. For  answer  to  the  very  superfluous  question,  Crabbe 
held  forth  to  her  the  little  engagement  card  with  every 
space  initial-scrawled — principally  with  his  own.  "  Quite 
filled,  you  see,"  said  Miss  Kitty,  beaming  radiantly  up  into 
his  darkening  eyes.  She  was  looking  "  intentionally 
beautiful,"  as  Mr.  Howells  expressed  it,  and  Langham 
knew  it. 

"  I  haven't  much  luck,"  he  said,  with  abundant  self- 
command.  He  was  thmking,  though,  of  one  fierce  night 
at  sea  when,  at  the  fag  end  of  the  typhoon,  for  just  one 
minute,  with  the  wild  wind  and  the  whirling  spray  beat- 
ing into  that  same  exquisite  face,  it  had  gazed  up  into  his 
with  appeal,  with  faith,  with  so  utterly  different  a  light 
in  the  brave,  beautiful  eyes — when  her  hands  had  clasped 
one  instant  about  one  arm,  while  the  other  arm  had  seized 


S70  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

and  drawn  and  held  her  to  his  side,  and  the  mountain 
wave  that  burst  at  the  quarter  and  deluged  the  deck, 
hissed  harmlessly  by.  Crabbe  was  flat  on  his  back  in  a 
berth  below,  but  now,  as  Crabbe  would  have  put  it,  he 
was  "  on  deck  "  again. 

She  expected  Langham  to  take  the  card  and  comment 
on  the  imposing  frequency  with  which  "  E.  T.  C."  ap- 
peared as  claimant,  but  he  would  not,  nor  would  he  stand 
and  be  trifled  with  for  Crabbe's  benefit.  Nor  would  he 
rejoice  the  soul  of  Crabbe  by  letting  him  see  how  her 
trifling  had  stung  him. 

"  I  should  have  known  how  it  would  be,"  said  he,  with 
exasperating  civility.  "  Next  time  I'll — know  better." 
And  then — Kitty  had  not  looked  for  this — he  bowed, 
turned  to  his  left,  and  was  eflfusively  greeting  a  lackadai- 
sical fellow  passenger  she  had  never  before  seen  him  treat 
with  more  than  common  courtesy.  Down  in  the  depths 
of  an  aching,  raging,  rebellious  little  heart,  the  girl  ad- 
mired him  for  it,  even  as  she  raged,  quite  as  much  as  she 
did  that  awful  night  on  the  Amanuensis  when  he  seemed 
so  splendidly  unconcerned.  And  this  was  simply  abom- 
inable in  him,  yet  nothing  to  what  was  still  to  come.  She 
meant  him  to  beg  for  part  of  a  dance,  and  to  give  him  all 
of  one  of  Crabbe's,  but  he  begged  for  nothing.  He  had 
actually  gone  over  and  was  talking  now  to  her  mother. 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  271 

Then  Kitty  suddenly  bethought  herself  of  something  she 
wished  to  say  to  her  mother,  and,  rising,  signaled  to 
Crabbe,  who  had  been  narrowly  watching. 

"  It  is  our  dance,"  he  said,  and  led  her  away,  unre- 
sponsive, unresisting.  She  thought  to  stop  when  oppo- 
site her  mother's  chair.  Crabbe  purposely  kept  her  away. 
She  finally  said,  breathing  quickly  for  her,  "  Over  by 
mamma,  please."  Crabbe  was  unaccountably  thick- 
headed, and  worse.  He  bumped  into  a  better  dancer, 
the  aid-de-camp  referred  to,  and  stopped,  all  contrition, 
to  apologize  to  that  gentleman  and  his  partner.  Lang- 
ham  was  gone  by  the  time  they  reached  Mrs.  Belden ;  so 
was  Kitty's  desire  to  see  her,  and  Crabbe  failed  not  to 
note  it. 

''  His  Highness  is  tr>'ing  to  get  out  of  going  with  his 
regiment  to  Samar,  or  somewhere,"  said  he,  as  they 
strolled  to  the  balcony. 

"  That  doesn't  seem — ^like  him,"  said  Miss  Kitty 
wearily. 

"  It's  so.  They  are  to  sail  next  week,  and  he  was  at 
the  Ayuntamiento  twice  to-day.  Wants  something  soft 
here  in  town,  probably." 

No  answer.  Kitty's  eyes  were  on  the  star-reflecting 
surface  below  her,  the  swift  running  Pasig.  Several 
naval  officers  were  among  the  dancers.    A  steam  launch 


272  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

and  two  men-of-war  boats  were  moored  at'  the  river  wall. 
The  Jackies  were  lolling  about  them.  The  night  was 
very  still  without,  and  the  music  had  died  away.  Some 
of  the  guests  were  going,  and  people  were  flocking  about 
the  grand  salon  and  stairway,  leaving  these  at  the  balcony 
almost  deserted.  One  or  two  blissful  pairs  were  cooing 
softly  in  the  darkness,  but  Kitty  could  not  coo  and  would 
not  allow  it  in  Crabbe.  Jovial  voices  rose  from  the  court 
below.  Adieus  were  being  exchanged.  Three  or  four 
navy  fellows  were  hurrying  back  to  their  ship.  Half  a 
dozen  soldiers  had  flocked  down  to  see  them  off.  Jackies, 
with  boat  hooks,  stood  at  the  bows,  alert  coxswains  at 
the  stern  sheets.  Oars  were  tossed  in  one  glistening  white 
cutter  as  the  graceful  craft  danced  out  upon  the  waters, 
two  officers  waving  their  white  caps  in  farewell.  The 
steam  launch  backed  swiftly  out  from  the  wall  and  turned 
her  nose  westward.  "  Good-by,  colonel.  Good  luck !  " 
was  shouted  from  the  shore.  "  Good-by,  Langham ! 
God  bless  you !  "  sang  another  rich,  resonant  voice — her 
father's,  and  Kitty  Belden  sprang  to  her  feet,  Crabbe 
again  watching  narrowly. 

Borne  on  the  breast  of  the  swift-ebbing  tide,  the  jaunty 
craft  darted  away  down  stream,  lost  in  a  moment,  but  for 
their  lanterns,  in  the  deep  shadows  toward  the  suspension 
bridge.     Kitty  watched  until  they  had  disappeared,  her 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  273 

hand  touching  the  railing;  then  turned;  looked  one  mo- 
ment into  the  scowling  face  of  her  escort.  "  Let  us  go," 
said  she;  yet,  never  waiting  for  him,  hurried  straight 
across  the  shining  floor  to  her  m_other's  side.  Colonel 
Belden  was  still  below.  It  was  Colonel  Sheller  who, 
plying  the  fan  for  the  benefit  of  the  matron,  looked  ad- 
miringly up  into  the  face  of  the  maid. 

"  Why  has — why  have  they  gone  and  where  ?  "  faltered 
Kitty. 

"  The  navy  men  ?  Only  the  Plattsburg's — she's  or- 
dered off — somewhere,"  was  Mrs.  Belden's  vague  reply. 

"  But,  Colonel  Langham  was  with  them." 

"  Yes,"  said  Sheller.  "  Pat's  given  us  the  slip.  We 
had  planned  a  dinner  in  his  honor.  He's  gone  to  join 
the  cavalry  column  away  to  the  north.  It's  the  last  we'll 
see  of  him  for  many  a  day." 

That  night,  long  after  the  dancers  had  gone  to  dream- 
land, Lieutenant  Crabbe  sat  solus  on  the  broad  veranda 
of  the  Army  and  Navy  Club,  gazing  out  upon  the  west- 
ward heavens,  studded  with  their  brilliant  stars.  He  had 
driven  home  in  attendance  upon  the  ladies,  Kitty  huddled 
in  silence  and  a  dark  corner  of  the  little  carriage,  Mrs. 
Belden  and  her  hostess  chatting  briskly.  If  he  had  hoped 
for  a  word  with  the  girl  he  so  hungrily  loved  and  so 
persistently  followed,  he  was  doomed  to  disappointment. 


274  COMHADES  IK  ARMS 

She  sprang  out,  scarcely  touching  his  extended  hand; 
scurried  away  up  the  marble  stair  to  the  salon  floor,  and 
it  was  that  keen-eyed  social  strategist,  the  general's  wife, 
who  confronted  him  with,  "  Thank  you  so  much,  Mr. 
Crabbe.  Now,  where  shall  Manuel  drive  you  ?  "  Even 
Mrs.  Belden's  good-night  thanks  had  been  brief  and  per- 
functory, for  her  eyes  followed  her  child.  Crabbe  read 
the  symptoms  aright  and  took  communion  with  himself 
in  solitude  and  bitterness  of  spirit.  He  was  face  to  face 
with  his  fate  now,  and  he  knew  it.  If  he  could  not  turn 
that  girl's  heart  to  himself,  he  must  turn  it  away  from 
that  other  far  too  fortunate  man.  There  was  only  one 
week  left  him.    There  was  only  one  way. 


CHAPTER  II 

THROUGH   THE   ENEMY'S   LIKES. 

SIGNALS  from  shore!  Strange  smokes  puffing 
skyward,  the  Plattshiirg  had  moored  out  in  the  road- 
stead and  her  boat  landed  a  Httle  party  at  the  beach. 
Two  miles  away  to  the  east,  peering  over  the  low  fringe  of 
bamboo,  the  storm  tower  of  a  church,  the  gray  cornice  of 
some  public  building,  betrayed  the  existence  of  a  town  of 
goodly  size.  Two  miles  away  to  the  west,  swinging  at 
anchor  on  the  glistening  bay,  the  jaunty  lines  of  the  gun- 
boat, dull-hued  in  their  leaden  war  paint,  alone  broke 
the  level  of  the  horizon.  Aloft  the  skies  were  almost 
cloudless;  yet  faint,  blue-white  wisps  of  vapor  hung 
about  the  distant  roofs  and  walls  and  feebly  dragged 
along  the  crest  of  the  intervening  trees.  Close  at  hand 
the  only  sound  was  the  smothered  boom  of  the  surf  and 
the  hiss  of  briny  foam,  charging,  snow-capped,  up  the 
strand,  then  seething  back  to  meet  the  onward  rush  of 
its  follower.  Drowned  in  the  dull  monotone  other 
sounds,  distant  sounds  failed  to  reach  the  straining 
ears  of  the  blue-jackets  tumbling  up  the  beach,  their  rifles 
at  read^.    Not  a  soul  >vas  in  sight  to  challenge  their, 


276  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

advance.  The  dazzling  white  parapet  beyond  the  beaten, 
brine-soaked  sands  at  the  shoreUne  held  not  a  sign  of 
lurking  foe.  The  Jackies  halted  at  their  signal  and, 
kneeling,  waited  in  extended  rank  the  decision  of  their 
officer.  The  boat's  crew,  some  knee-deep  in  the  rush 
of  the  seas,  looked  curiously  on.  Beyond  the  heaping 
ridges  of  tiny  shell  and  pebble  lay,  far-spreading,  a  boggy 
plain,  carpeted  with  coarse,  salt  grass;  beyond  this,  a 
good  mile  away,  the  thick  hedge  of  bamboo,  curtaining 
the  further  landscape  like  impenetrable  screen;  beyond 
this  onl}  the  clump  of  gray  towers  and  cornice,  and  a 
beividere  or  two  of  the  otherwise  invisible  town ;  beyond 
these  and  afar,  the  blue,  irregular  line  of  distant  moun- 
tain. Curving  in  long  crescent,  its  concave  to  the  west, 
the  frothing  shore  faded  into  a  misty  void.  Seaward, 
blue,  sparkling,  flashing,  and  in  places  capped  with  snow, 
the  waters  of  the  shallow  bay  melted  into  the  broad  bosom 
of  the  China  Sea.  It  was  December,  and  the  afternoon 
sunshine  blazed  hotly  down  upon  a  shadeless  beach  that, 
save  for  the  scuttling  sand  crabs  and  a  batch  of  alert, 
silent  men-of-war's  men  and  their  officer,  showed  no 
sign  of  life. 

"  Well,  there's  your  town,  colonel,  and  here's  the  ren- 
dezvous, and  devil  a  troop  do  I  see,  friend  or  foe."  It 
was   the   navy's   report   to   the   army — the   lieutenant   to 


COMRADES  IN  [ARMS  277 

the  lieutenant  colonel,  and  the  latter  looked  "  nonplussed." 
Telegrams  had  been  sent  from  the  Ayuntamiento  in 
Manila  to  the  commanding  officer  at  Dagupan,  the  north- 
ward end  of  the  railway,  directing  him  to  send  couriers 
after  the  cavalry  column,  bidding  the  colum^n  "  feel  to  the 
left,"  and  look  out  for  a  strong  Insurgent  force  reported 
edging  between  it  and  the  seashore  towns  of  Ilocos ;  also 
for  dispatches  by  the  Plattshurg,  coasting  northward  in 
search  of  their  flankers.  Three  days  had  she  coasted 
without  sign  of  a  hail  from  shore  and  now,  in  sight  of 
those  distant,  vapor-fringed  roofs  of  that  bamboo- 
curtained  town.  Colonel  Langham  declared  he  must  lose 
no  more  time.  There  was  a  ''  Yanko  "  garrison  there, 
caring  for  the  sick  and  wounded  of  the  column  search- 
ing through  the  eastward  mountains,  and  Langham  de- 
clared he  meant  to  make  his  way  thither  without  more 
ado. 

But  how  strange  that,  with  American  soldiery  not  two 
miles  away,  there  should  be  not  one  of  their  number  here 
to  exchange  greetings  with  an  American  crew !  From  the 
bridge  of  the  Plattshurg  the  church  tower  and  the  roofs 
of  several  large  stone  buildings  were  in  view.  So  was 
the  little  patch  of  storm  flag,  fluttering  in  the  faint 
breeze. 

From  the  town  and  from  those  roofs,  and  the  little  look- 


ms  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

outs  thereon,  the  gunboat  in  the  offing  must  be  quite  as 
distincty  visible  to  anyone  on  watch,  yet,  unless  the 
smoke  could  be  considered,  not  a  sign  or  signal  had  been 
exchanged.  Langham  had  confidently  assured  the  ship's 
commander  of  his  ability  to  get  through  to  town,  and 
that  commander  had  no  reason  to  doubt  it.  Still,  cau- 
tion prescribed  a  landing  party.  The  landing  party  had 
discovered  nothing.  Langham  and  his  field  kit  were  de- 
posited there  upon  the  booming  coast  line  of  Ilocos  Sur, 
and  not  a  soul  was  there  to  greet  him,  either  as  friend  or 
foe,  and  the  Piatt sbnrg  had  other  matters  to  attend  to 
farther  north.  ''  Better  get  back  to  the  ship,"  said  the 
navy,  and  two  minutes  more  the  ship  itself  was  signaling. 
Whether  Langham  went  back  or  no,  the  lieutenant  would 
have  to,  taking  his  men  with  him. 

Then  came  a  shout  from  the  outermost  Jacky,  a  leveled 
rifle  and  a  demand  to  "  Come  in  out  of  that !  "  All  eyes 
turned  to  the  south,  and  there,  from  behind  a  little  clump 
of  bushes,  an  odd  little  object  hove  in  sight — a  native 
in  fragmentary  camisa  and  voluminous  hat — a  hat  the 
shape  and  size  of  a  wooden  mince-meat  bowl,  and  the 
rest  of  his  costume  was  fishnet.  Covered  by  the  inquisi- 
tive rifle,  he  came  shambling  in,  trembling  a  bit  and  very 
poHte.  The  army  and  navy  both  went  forward  to  meet 
him,  and  were  agreeably  surprised  to  find  that  he  could 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  279 

speak  Spanish,  at  least  as  much  as  they  could,  and  now. 
the  situation  was  explained. 

The  reason  no  comrade  appeared  to  greet  the  Ameri- 
can arrival  was  that  every  comrade  in  town  was  virtually 
a  prisoner.  The  field  column,  scouring  the  mountains 
for  the  fugitive  Aguinaldo  and  the  sailor  captives  in  the 
hands  of  the  foe,  had  stripped  the  coastwise  towns  of  the 
major  part  of  their  garrisons.  The  alert  and  friendly 
natives,  discovering  this  fact,  had  promptly  assembled  in 
overwhelming  force.  The  town,  with  its  available  fight- 
ing men,  perhaps  fifty  in  number,  guarding  two  hundred 
and  fifty  sick  and  wounded,  was  compassed  round  about 
by  at  least  a  thousand  Tagalog  warriors,  variously  armed, 
but  inspired  with  a  single  purpose — the  annihilation  of 
the  American  garrison.  It  boded  ill  for  the  little  com- 
mand. There  were  two  thousand  native  soldiers  within 
twenty  miles'  radius  of  that  church  tower,  and  not  a 
vestige  of  relief  column  anywhere.  The  Platfsburg  lieu- 
tenant decided  that  this  was  news  his  commander  ought 
to  have  at  once.  He  and  his  people  tumbled  into  their 
cutter  and  pulled  away,  leaving  Langham  alone  on  the 
beach.     It  was  his  own  fault.     He  would  stay. 

Then  a  queer  thing  happened.  No  sooner  was  the 
dancing  boat  well  out  beyond  the  surf  line  and  pulling 
swiftly  for  the  ship,  than  white-garbed  forms  began  to 


280  COMRADES  IN  'ARMS 

exude  from  the  distant  thicket  of  bamboo,  from  behind  a 
low  bank  southward,  from  sand  dunes  half  a  mile  up 
shore,  and  cautiously,  but  with  concerted  interest,  these 
forms  closed  in  on  the  spot  where  Langham  and  his 
piscatorial  informant  squatted  on  the  sand  were  discuss- 
ing the  possibilities.  In  ten  minutes  other  fisher  folk  by 
swarms  began  to  arrive,  men  and  boys,  women  and 
pickaninnies. 

Langham  looked  out  over  the  swarthy  throng  and  then 
at  his  watch,  and  the  dark  faces  brightened  with  keen 
interest  at  sight  of  that  beautiful  pocket  piece,  and  the 
circle  grew  smaller,  whereat  Langham  looked  for  the 
Plattsburg  and  couldn't  see  her  because  of  the  inter- 
posing forms,  some  in  snowy  white  ropas,  some  in  mere 
shreds.  So  he  stowed  that  pocket  piece  and  casually 
drew  forth  another  glistening  object,  a  vicious-looking, 
nickel-plated  revolver;  and,  motioning  aside  a  segment 
of  the  circle,  shouldered  through  till  he  come  to  the  edge 
of  the  waters — they  could  not  so  easily  surround  him 
there — then  awaited  developments. 

And  the  Plattsburg  had  seen  and  up-anchored  and 
was  feeling  a  way  slowly  shoreward,  to  come,  if  possible, 
within  supporting  distance,  and  another  boatload  shoved 
off  and  was  bounding  toward  him  with  bending  oars 
and  spray-flashing  prow,  and  the  curious  crowd  began 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  281 

to  jabber  and  drift  back.  The  forward  oarsmen  sprang 
overboard  into  the  surf  as  they  neared  the  beach  and 
heaved  their  boat  ashore,  and  a  young  officer  in  the  stem 
sheets  presented  the  captain's  compHments  to  Colonel 
Langham,  and  would  he  please  come  aboard,  and  then 
Langham,  who  had  been  listening  hand  to  ear,  inclined 
his  head  again  to  the  east,  and  so  did  others.  A  fleecy 
mist  was  drifting  above  the  bamboo  tops  and  a  shifting 
land  breeze  brought  to  their  ear  a  faint  sputter  and 
crackle.  The  besiegers  had  scented  the  possible  coming 
of  a  relieving  force  and  were  making  effort  to  "  rush  " 
the  garrison  before  the  setting  of  the  sun  now  low  toward 
the  horizon. 

Langham  looked  about  him.  One  native  had  come  on 
his  pony,  and  was  eagerly  watching  proceedings.  The 
soldier  ladled  banknotes  and  silver,  fifty  pesos,  into  his 
campaign  hat,  and  lunging  through  to  the  horse  holder, 
offered  the  money  for  the  beast.  The  native  eyed  the 
money  eagerly,  but  shook  his  head.  The  sun  went  lower. 
The  naval  contingent  grew  impatient.  "  Take  my  kit 
back  to  the  ship,"  said  Langham,  "  and  my  compliments 
to  the  captain.  I'm  going  to  get  through  to  that  town 
this  night,"  and  the  rest  was  lost  in  the  startled  plunging 
of  the  little  steed,  for,  shoving  the  native  owner  aside, 
Langham 's  long  legs  had  clamped  the  mite  of  a  saddle, 


^2  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

the  stirrups  banging  his  leggings  not  a  hand  below  the 
knee.  "There's  your  dinero!''  he  shouted  to  the  jab- 
bering circle ;  whirled  the  pony  about,  drove  him  clear  of 
the  crowd,  then  faced  them,  revolver  in  hand. 

And  in  disapprobation  of  such  high-handed  outrage, 
doubtless,  the  sun  went  down  and  hid  itself  behind  the 
westward  wave,  as  the  Plattsburg's  boat  pulled  back  to 
the  ship,  and  two  horsemen  now — a  tall  Yankee  whose 
toes  nearly  swept  the  ground,  a  shivering  little  Tagalog  at 
the  point  of  a  pistol  and  the  top  of  his  pony's  speed — went 
scampering  southward  to  the  mouth  of  the  estuary.  As 
darkness  settled  down  and  the  tiny  cook-fires  of  the  be- 
siegers began  to  gleam  through  the  timber,  the  two  were 
heading  eastward,  making  for  the  walls  of  the  town. 

It  was  a  piece  of  cold-blooded  effrontery,  the  like  of 
which  the  native  Filipino  had  probably  never  conceived. 
In  the  dusk  and  the  gloaming,  in  silence  and  now  at 
cautious  pace,  they  moved  on  side  by  side,  for  Langham 
held  the  reins  of  both  ponies  in  his  left  hand,  while  the 
right  kept  the  revolver  at  the  small  of  the  Tagalog's 
back.  In  his  khaki  field  dress  the  officer  was  little  more 
distinguishable  than  the  guide.  They  passed  near  oc- 
casional groups  of  native  soldiery  squatted  about  their 
cook-fires,  but  not  a  sentry  hailed  them.  They  rode 
within  fifty  paces  of  a  post  of  the  guard  where  forty  men 


I 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  283 

were  drawn  up  in  line,  their  rifles  at  the  '*  order."  They 
passed  within  speaking  distance  of  two  or  three  horsemen 
riding  swiftly  by,  and  still  no  one  molested,  no  one  hin- 
dered. It  grew  darker  every  moment,  with  that  swift 
on-coming  of  night  so  marked  in  the  tropics.  The  road- 
way through  the  bamboo  was  like  a  tunnel,  but  for  the 
twinkle  of  the  stars  overhead.  They  came  upon  a  little 
picket  post,  the  men  under  arms  and  staring  out  to  the 
front  across  open  rice  fields.  Everybody  they  passed 
seemed  looking  for  the  coming  of  something  from  the 
direction  of  town.  There  were  the  nipa  walls  and 
thatches  of  the  outskirts  only  a  hundred  yards  ahead. 
Nobody  seemed  to  bother  about  anyone  coming  from 
the  rear.  It  was  now  that  danger  could,  indeed,  be 
looked  for.  The  last  line  of  Insurgent  outposts  was 
reached,  and  the  stupid,  upturned  faces  of  the  two  sen- 
tries at  the  narrow,  high-arching  bridge  expressed  no 
thought  of  hindrance — only  dull  surprise  as  the  ponies 
jogged  doggedly  by,  both  with  back-set  ears.  Lang- 
ham's  heart  may  have  been  beating  like  a  trip,  but  his 
teeth  were  set  and  his  eyes  fierce  with  determination.  One 
hundred  yards  beyond  the  bridge,  and  there  lay  the  open 
road  into  the  heart  of  the  town,  flanked  at  the  outskirts  by 
deserted  "  shacks  "  of  bamboo.  There,  at  last,  he  tossed 
the  reins;  and  bade  his  shaking  guide  look  out  for  him- 


284  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

self ;  bent  low  over  his  pony's  neck  and,  urging  him  for- 
ward, listening  eagerly  for  the  challenge  of  lurking 
sentry,  dreading  the  flash  of  low-aimed  rifle,  still  drove 
eagerly  on.  The  plaza  opened  before  him,  long  pistol 
shot  way.  Dim  lights  shone  at  door  and  window.  The 
huge  bulk  of  the  stone  church  loomed  across  the  dim, 
deserted  square,  and  then  at  last  it  came,  clear,  sharp, 
and  sudden,  snapping  on  the  night  like  the  lash  of  a 
whip:  "Halt!  Who's  there?"  And,  jerked  to  his 
haunches,  the  pony's  hoofs  ploughed  up  a  dust  cloud,  as 
Langham's  voice  fairly  thundered  the  answer: 

"American  officer — from  the  sea!  " 

Then  at  last  the  strain  was  over,  and  the  daring  feat 
was  done.  Ten  minutes  later  he  was  shaking  hands  with 
the  commander  and  his  few  wearied  officers.  No  wonder 
they  had  not  seen  the  Plattshurg.  Every  roof,  every  win- 
dow of  the  church  tower  had  been  swept  clean  by  the 
fierce  fire  of  the  besiegers.  No  lookout  could  have  lived 
a  moment  while  the  daylight  lasted.  Now,  lantern  in 
hand,  they  went  clambering  to  the  tower,  and  before 
eight  bells  had  sent  their  tinkling  chime  across  the  waters 
the  anxious  watchers  on  the  gallant  ship  saw  through 
their  night  glasses  the  tiny,  waving  spark  that  told 
through  four  miles  of  black  darkness,  across  intervening 
roof  and  thicket,  swamp  and  strand  and  sea,  that,  daring- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  285 

death,  their  passenger  had  pierced  the  Insurgent  Hnes 
and  borne  his  message  of  support  and  cheer.  That  night 
the  sick  and  despondent  took  fresh  courage,  for  were 
not  the  blue- jackets  close  at  hand,  waiting  only  for  the 
dawn?  That  night,  a  few  hours  later,  the  Insurgent 
swarms  began  to  slink  away;  to  secrete  their  rifles  and 
revolvers  in  the  hollow  of  many  a  bamboo ;  to  busy  them- 
selves again  in  shop  and  school  and  field,  for  out  to 
the  east  the  big  horses  came  floundering  through  the 
mud  roads,  for  strange  trumpet  calls  were  singing 
through  the  forests  and  echoing  over  the  plantations,  and 
when  at  dawn  **  Pat  "  Langham  guided  a  little  scouting 
part>^  back  toward  the  bridge  he  crossed  at  dusk,  they 
stirred  up  a  swarm  of  protesting  ami  go  s,  eager  to  an- 
nounce the  swift  coming  of  cahallos  and  cahalleros  by 
the  score,  and  so  it  happened  that  in  this  distant,  almost 
unknown  province  of  far  Luzon,  within  sight  of  the  China 
Sea,  two  old  comrades  who,  two  years  before  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hudson,  sorrowing  had  said  adieu,  now 
met  face  to  face  once  more,  with  eager  rescuers  shout- 
ing joyous  greeting  to  the  grinning  and  responsive  res- 
cued, and  Jim  Gridley,  bending  down  from  saddle,  threw 
a  blue-shirted,  clasping  arm  around  Langham's  neck. 
There  are  things  in  soldier  life  worth  living  for.  There 
are  some  things  in  soldier  life  worth  dying  to  attain. 


CHAPTER  m 

BAD   NEWS   FROM   SAMAR. 

THEN  followed  the  swift  mid-winter  campaign 
that  scattered  to  the  four  winds  the  army  of 
Aguinaldo,  and  drove  him,  helpless  and  almost 
deserted,  to  a  refuge  in  the  mountain  wilds  of  the  eastern 
shore.  Cutting  loose  from  their  supplies,  the  American 
columns,  horse  and  foot,  dove  into  the  canebrake ;  waded 
swamp  and  morass;  swam  turbid  streams;  clambered 
mountain  trails,  pressing  the  fleeing  foe  at  every  point, 
driving  him  from  trench  to  trench,  capturing  arms,  sup- 
plies, records,  prisoners,  at  every  turn.  The  family  and 
treasury  of  the  Insurgent  dictator  were  overtaken  Christ- 
mas Day,  the  elusive  chief  escaping  only  by  the  sacrifice 
of  all  he  held  dear.  The  gallant  young  general,  his 
escort  commander,  Gregorio  del  Pilar,  striving  vainly 
at  every  pass  to  stem  the  indomitable  charge  of  the  long- 
legged,  sinewy  "  Yankos,"  died  at  last  on  the  fighting 
line,  that  his  leader  might  live.  Into  the  fastnesses  of  the 
hills  probed  the  insistent  pursuers  wherever  went  the  scat- 
tering natives,  one  little  command  recapturing  brethren 
of  the  navy,  long  held  prisoners  and  driven  like  cattle 

286 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  287 

before  their  almost  savage  guardians;  another  releasing 
hundreds  of  haggard  Spaniards ;  the  general  "  prosecu- 
tion "  resting  only  when  every  pass  and  trail  had  been 
explored,  every  town  and  depot  had  been  surrendered, 
every  semblance  of  organized  opposition  had  melted 
away.  They  suffered  much,  yet  it  was  as  nothing  in  the 
light  of  what  they  accomplished.  They  rejoiced  much  in 
the  words  of  praise  with  which  the  commanding  general 
rewarded  their  services.  They  swore  considerably,  long 
weeks  later,  over  the  words  of  censure  in  the  anti- 
administration  press,  and  wondered  why  "  giving  aid  and 
comfort  to  the  enemy  "  was  punishable  only  in  their  case 
and  not  in  journalism.  They  grieved  unspeakably  in 
the  one  great  loss  of  the  campaign.  All  eyes  were  filled, 
all  hearts  were  burdened,  when  the  word  was  passed 
that  La\\1:on  would  never  lead  them  again.  The  dawn  of 
the  new  century  found  them  scattered  all  over  the  north- 
em  provinces  of  Luzon,  searching  hither  and  yon  for 
hidden  arms  and  ammunition,  but  with  their  heavier 
battling  done.  And  all  these  weeks  of  stir  and  strife 
and  peril  Langham  had  lived  with  headquarters  in  the 
field,  serving  his  new  general  as  eagerly,  loyally,  zeal- 
ously as  that  brilliant  and  tireless  leader  served  their 
commander  in  common  and  in  chief,  and  in  all  these 
miles  of  weary  marching  and  sudden  attack,  time  and 


288  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

again  he  and  the  faithful  comrade  of  Minneconjou  days 
were  thrown  together,  and  the  friendship  that  began  in 
the  foothills  of  the  Sagamore  Range  of  the  far  Dakotas 
waxed  and  welded  stronger  here  in  the  swamps  and 
jungles,  the  mountain  trails  of  wild  Luzon. 

There  was  little  time  for  talk — scant  opportunity  for 
confidences.  Never  until  the  campaign  was  nearly  done, 
then  only  by  accident,  did  the  brigade  commander  hear 
the  story  of  the  non-self-righting  'Manuensis.  Never 
until  long  weeks  later  still  did  that  dignified  soldier  hear 
the  story  of  Langham's  daring  dash  through  the  Insur- 
gent lines  to  join  the  beleaguered  garrison.  He  had  com- 
pleted then  his  report  of  the  campaign,  but  the  navy 
had  seen  and  heard,  and,  finding  it  unmentioned  in  army 
chronicles,  the  navy  came  out  with  the  tale  that  Lang- 
ham  had  never  told. 

Then  came  a  summons  to  the  south.  The  insurrection, 
crushed  in  the  upper  provinces,  was  spreading  in  the 
lower.  Regulars  and  volunteers,  the  regiments  were 
heading  for  the  shores  of  Samar,  Mindanao,  and  Panay. 
The  3 — th  had  seen  some  weeks  of  skirmish  among  the 
jungles  of  the  Camarines.  There  was  bitter  work  ahead 
against  the  savage  hosts  that  lurked  in  mountain  fast- 
nesses beyond  the  reach  of  landing  parties  and  from 
those  safe  coverts   swooped  down  upon  the  settlements 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  ^89 

and  scattered  depots  of  supplies,  ambushing  couriers, 
waylaying  small  parties  and  striving  to  lure  in  larger 
detachments  the  soldiery  of  the  seaside  camps  into  the 
tangle  of  the  wilderness.  Time  had  come  when  these 
wild  islanders,  too,  should  be  taught  the  error  of  their 
ways. 

The  3 — th  had  once  more  assembled  with  the  colors, 
and  its  field  officers  were  restored  to  their  appro- 
priate commands.  The  war  that  was  over  in  the  north 
seemed  only  opening  in  the  south.  The  first  of  March 
found  Langham  once  again  in  Manila,  outfitting  for 
another  mountain  campaign,  and  with  him  this  time  came 
his  chum  and  constant  friend,  "  Grim  Jidley,"  as  they 
whimsically  called  him  now;  the  silent,  steadfast,  inde- 
fatigable fellow  whose  squadron,  because  of  his  active 
and  indomitable  leadership,  had  given  him  still  another 
distinctive  name,  "  Old  Tough  and  Tireless."  But  grim, 
tough,  and  tireless  though  he  might  be,  Gridley  could 
not  go  on  forever.  A  Mauser  bullet  had  split  the  pom- 
mel of  his  Whitman  just  as  he  was  mounting,  and,  while 
missing  vein  or  artery,  had  ripped  a  furrow  in  the  thigh 
and  spoiled  for  a  time  his  grip  in  saddle.  The  general 
had  him  bamboo-rafted  down  to  Vigan,  and  thence  to 
the  sea,  where  the  navy  took  him  over  the  side  and  into 
their  hearts,  and  away  to  Manila,  where  they  rowed  him 


290  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

up  the  Pasig  to  the  shelter  of  the  First  Reserve,  where 
Langham  could  see  him  daily,  and  where  he  speedily 
got  well  enough  to  be  anxious  to  return  straightway  to 
his  fellows  in  the  field. 

This  Langham  was  combating  with  all  his  force, 
despite  the  fact  that  his  own  kit  was  even  then  aboard 
the  Sumatra  and  his  order  signed  to  join  the  regiment 
at  Catbalogan,  and  James  the  Silent  was  gravely  listening 
as  he  reclined  in  his  easy  wicker  chair,  when  Dr.  Bliss 
came  smirking  into  the  breezy  sanctuary,  screened  ofif  on 
the  veranda,  and  without  a  word  of  warning  ushered 
in  two  ladies — Mrs.  and  Miss  Belden,  whom  both  officers 
believed  at  the  moment  to  be  in  Iloilo — who  had 
indeed  but  the  day  before  returned  from  there,  who  had 
been  told  of  Gridley's  arrival  and  Langham's  departure, 
and,  not  expecting  to  see  the  latter  (for  even  Bliss  did 
not  happen  to  know  of  his  presence)  there  was  unmis- 
takable flutter  all  round. 

Kitty  Belden's  lovely  face  went  from  rose  pink  to 
red,  then  almost  white.  Langham,  seated  astride  a  hos- 
pital chair,  with  his  arms  along  its  top,  his  breast  against 
his  arms,  his  legs  sprawled  full  length,  his  back  to  the 
door — arms,  back,  and  legs  all  in  glistening  white — 
never  saw  the  visiting  trio  until  the  light  in  Gridley's 
hollow-cheeked,    square-chinned   visage   told   the   story. 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  291 

Then  up  sprang  the  campaigner,  down  went  the  chair, 
and,  with  one  quick  glance  over  his  shoulder,  the  tall 
lieutenant  colonel,  looking  thinner  than  ever  after  the 
months  of  hardship  and  privation,  stepped  quickly  aside, 
squarely  intimating  that  he  considered  Gridley  to  be 
the  object  of  their  visit,  and  solidly  placing  himself  in 
the  background.  To  him  Mrs.  Belden  bowed  hurriedly, 
yet  with  something  like  appeal  in  her  eyes,  as  with  out- 
stretched hands  she  swept  by  to  greet  Captain  Gridley, 
for  his  part  vainly  struggling  to  rise.  The  maneuver 
left  nobody  between  Langham  and  the  daring,  darling 
Kitty  of  two  years  agone,  and  she  had  to  lift  up  her  eyes 
and  meet  the  questioning  gaze  in  his.  For  seventeen 
weeks  no  word  or  message  had  passed  between  them. 
Instinctively  feeling  her  knees  trembling  beneath  her, 
the  girl  had  put  forth  a  hand  and  rested  it  on  the  little 
table.  Her  sleeve,  her  handkerchief — something — dis- 
lodged the  letter  that  was  lying  there,  face  down,  close  to 
the  edge.  It  fell,  face  upward,  at  her  feet,  and  glad  of  any 
excuse  to  avert,  if  only  for  a  moment,  the  meeting  for 
which  she  was  so  utterly  unprepared,  she  swooped  upon 
it,  quick,  agile,  graceful,  and  recognized  the  superscrip- 
tion at  a  glance.  It  was  addressed  to  Lieutenant  Colonel 
William  P.  B.  Langham,  U.  S.  V.,  Manila,  and  it  had 
come  straight  from  Long  Island  and — her.     So  they  were 


29«  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

corresponding  still !     Kitty  laid  it,  face  down,  just  where 
first  she  had  seen  it,  and  then  faced  him  unflinchingly. 

Even  after  that  perilous  voyage ;  even  after  that  won- 
derful night  when  he  had  held  her  for  one  moment  close 
strained  to  his  breast  while  the  great  billow  tore  its 
way  astern  and  the  storm  swept  eastward  in  its  wrath; 
even  after  she  must  have  felt  the  wild  tlirobbing  of 
his  heart  that  girl  had  looked  up  smiling  into  his  face, 
and  for  response  to  his  invitation,  had  dared  to  turn  indif- 
ferently to  a  man  he  held  in  contempt  and  ask  that  man 
if  "  we  "  had  anything  to  give  Mr. — Colonel  Langham. 
Even  now,  as  she  confronted  him,  gamely,  but  with  who 
could  say  what  effort,  Langham  saw  her  again  as  she 
looked  in  saucy  triumph  that  evening  at  the  La\vtons', 
heard  again  the  languid  insolence  of  the  tone  with  which 
she  turned  to  Crabbe,  and  though  night  after  night  and 
day  after  day  he  had  seen  and  heard  her,  and  had  sworn 
to  himself  that  he  zvould  see  and  hear  and  remember 
her  as  the  girl  who  had  so  recklessly  stung  him — for 
the  life  of  him  he  could  not  resist  her  beauty,  her  fas- 
cination, her  power,  now.  Then  and  thereafter  he  had 
told  himself  she  must  have  owed  some  allegiance  to 
Crabbe,  even  to  the  extent  of  engaging  herself  to  him. 
Since  then,  since  his  return  to  Manila,  he  had  heard  from 
a  man  whase  simplest  statement  was  like  gospel  truth, 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  293 

that  he  knew  she  had  denied  herself  to  Crabbe  from 
that  very  night;  that  she  had  sent  a  note  to  Crabbe 
within  twenty-four  hours  that  set  him  to  cursing  sav- 
agely ;  that  Crabbe  had  been  hustled  off  to  Sorsogon,  or 
somewhere,  without  so  much  as  another  word  with  her. 
His  informant  was  Gillette's  own  aid-de-camp,  himself 
a  suspected  victim,  who,  ignorant  of  Langham's  state 
of  mind,  was  indignant  that  Langham  should  profess 
to  believe  such  a  girl  engaged  to  such  a  Crabbe. 

And  now  here  stood  this  "  master  of  the  situation  "  on 
the  storm-tossed  transport,  this  nervy  night  rider  of  hos- 
tile lines,  staring  stupidly  at  a  sweet-faced  girl  as  she  rose 
again  to  her  full  height  and  resolutely  looked  him  in 
the  eye. 

He  had  taken  one  quick  stride  forward  as  though  to 
retrieve  the  letter ;  then  halted  short.  He  had  succeeded 
in  hiding  from  Crabbe  the  chagrin  he  felt  at  her  denial 
of  him,  but  this  was  self  betrayal  now,  and  he  knew  it 
and  branded  it  as  awkward,  under-bred,  unworthy  of  him 
and  the  name  he  bore.  If  only  he  had  stepped  forward 
and  hailed  her  cordially,  rejoicefully,  as  though  nothing 
on  earth  had  ever  happened  to  kill  their  frank,  jolly 
friendship,  that  would  have  been  admirable ;  but,  instead, 
he  had  stood  quaking,  with  his  tongue  cleaving  to  the 
roof  of  his  mouUi. 


294  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

It  was  all  over  in  five  seconds,  but  the  five  seconds 
were  an  hour.  Mrs.  Belden  had  whirled  about  as  soon 
as  she  possibly  could,  and  precipitating  herself  on  Lang- 
ham,  made  way  for  Kitty  at  Gridley's  side,  and  then, 
when  the  girl  had  shaken  hands  with  her  trusty  knight, 
and  they  had  had  a  few  joyous  words — then  it  was  easier 
to  bring  the  warring  souls  to  a  semblance  of  a  greeting. 
Kitty  coolly  said  she  was  so  glad  to  see  Colonel  Langham, 
who,  somebody  said — who  was  it,  mamma? — only  that  very 
morning,  had  already  embarked  for  Samar;  and  Lang- 
ham,  with  fluttering  heart,  had  taken  her  cool  little  hand 
and  said  he  was  so  very  glad  the  Sumatra  had  not  gone 
on  time — she  was  only  waiting  for  the  Logan's  mail.  Then 
Kit  turned  back  to  Gridley  and  it  was  materfamilias 
with  whom  he  had  now  to  talk — shrewd,  man-reading 
materfamilias  who,  as  she  chatted  and  questioned,  marked 
his  flitting  eyes  and  faltering  attention,  and  saw  again 
and  more  clearly  than  before,  the  extent  of  Langham's 
enthrallment,  and  she  had  known  long  weeks  it  wasn't 
through  pining  for  Crabbe  or  languishing  at  Iloilo 
that  her  daughter's  soft  cheek  had  thinned,  her  daugh- 
ter's glad  voice  had  lost  its  ring. 

"  You  must  come  to  us  for  tea  and  a  good  talk,  Colonel 
Langham,"  said  the  lady,  who  had  not  seen  the  letter 
from  Long  Island.     "  Mrs.  Gillette  will  be  so  glad  to 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  295 

see  you  again."  But  she  could  say  no  more,  for  other 
women  were  ushered  in,  ladies  of  both  regiments,  eager 
to  show  mercy  and  kindness  to  James  the  Silent,  now 
that  he  was  wounded,  and  still  on  the  matrimonial  "  un- 
assigned  list."  But  Kitty  added  no  such  invitation  when 
they  presently  arose  to  go,  nor  did  she  see  anyone  but 
Bliss  awaiting  to  escort  them  to  their  carriage.  With 
him  she  chatted  mercilessly,  up  to  the  very  moment  when 
the  cochero  touched  his  cockaded  top  hat  and  cracked  his 
whip  and  released  his  mettlesome  team.  Then  she  barely 
glanced  at  Langham,  and  lightly,  laughingly,  nodded 
adieu;  then  beamed  radiantly,  sympathetically  on  Shan- 
non, who  came  stumping  suddenly  into  view  on  sprawling 
crutches,  and  her  voice  was  imperious  as  she  bade  the 
carriage  wait,  and  then  honey  sweet  as  she  cooed  a  soft 
torrent  of  soothing  questions  about  that  wounded  ankle. 
Shannon  would  have  taken  a  shot  through  the  other, 
too,  could  it  have  held  her  another  minute,  but  mamma 
said  they  must  go  or  be  late  at  luncheon.  And  when  a 
second  time  they  started  though  there  were  several  hov- 
ering convalescents  about  them,  there  was  no  m.ore  Lang- 
ham.  He  had  had  enough  of  her  coquetry  for  many  a 
day. 

"  The  Sumatra  will  not  sail  before  dawn  to-morrow. 
The  Logan's  only  just  in  and  all  the  mails  have  to  be 


^96  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

sorted,"  said  the  Man-Who-Knew — the  general's  aid,  as 
they  sat  at  luncheon,  but  despite  that  fact  no  Langham 
came  to  tea,  though  Kitty  Belden  declined  a  bid  to  ride  at 
four  with  that  same  aid-de-camp — not  that  she  wished 
to  see  Langham,  but  she  wished  him  to  see  that  she 
neither  sought  nor  avoided  him — and  when  he  came  not  to 
see  how  little  she  cared  to  see  him  she  became  capri- 
ciously insistent  on  driving  to  the  Luneta  to  hear  the 
music  and  see  the  people.  This,  when  people  were 
swarming  in  to  see  her,  and  of  course,  her  mother.  It 
was  awkward,  because  Mrs.  Belden  could  not  well  go 
while  they  kept  coming.  It  was  Mrs.  Gillette  who  saw 
and  who  solved  the  problem.  "  If  you  don't  mind,  I'll 
take  Kitty  a  little  drive,"  said  she  in  undertone.  "  She — 
needs  it,  I  think."  Mrs.  Belden  would  have  protested 
against  it  had  it  been  anyone  less  in  power  and  station 
than  the  wife  of  a  major  general  only  two  places  re- 
moved from  supreme  command  in  the  islands.  Kitty's 
place  was  here  with  her  mother,  helping  entertain,  was 
what  the  mother  could  now  say  only  to  herself.  And 
so  they  went,  Mrs.  Gillette  easily  disposing  of  the  matter 
by  coming  forth  into  the  deep  veranda  arrayed  for  the 
drive,  and  saying  comprehensively,  ''  You're  all  here  to 
see  Mrs.  Belden  and  hear  of  everybody  she  left  at  Iloilo, 
so  we'll  see  you  later  on  the  Luneta,"  and  then  swept 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  297 

Kitty  with  her  into  the  carriage  and  away,  ignoring  even 
the  appeal  in  the  eyes  of  the  aid-de-camp.  No,  she 
meant  that  seat  for  another  man,  and  she  meant  to  find 
him. 

But  Mrs.  Gillette  did  not  know  about  that  letter — the 
letter  that  seemed  so  to  sting  and  burn  Kitty  Belden's 
fingers  she  could  have  dropped  it  again  had  not  he  stood 
there  looking  on.  Crabbe  had  told  but  simple  truth  when 
he  declared  Langham  still  in  correspondence  with  that — 
woman.  He  had  told  her  more  that  also  might  be  true 
— that  Langham  had  dared  to  say,  in  so  many  words, 
after  a  certain  night  on  the  transport,  that  he  had  but 
to  "  whistle  "  and  Kitty  Belden  would  "  come  to  heel." 
It  was  Crabbe's  only  way. 

Mrs.  Gillette  had  counted  on  finding  Langham  along 
the  Luneta,  where  everybody  went  toward  sunset,  but 
twice  they  slowly  drove  the  long  circuit,  passing  cap- 
raising  officers  by  dozen.  Then  madam  bade  her  twin 
diminutives  on  the  box  to  go  on  up  the  Paseo  de  Santa 
Lucia,  past  the  tented  fields  where  men  in  khaki  spread 
thickly  along  the  iron  fence  on  one  side,  and  officers  in 
white  strolled  lazily  along  the  graveled  walk  upon  the 
other,  eyeing  dames  and  damsels — Native,  Mestiza,  Span- 
ish, or  American,  also  sauntering,  and  still  no  sign  of 
Langham.  And  then  Mrs.  Gillette  remembered  suddenly 


298  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

that  the  general  had  charged  her  to  see  that  Captain  Blade 
and  Lieutenant  Blind,  sent  in  wounded  from  Cavite, 
should  want  for  nothing,  and  once  at  the  First  Reserve, 
having  inquired  for  these  gentlemen,  she  wondered  would 
it  be  possible  to  see  Captain  Gridley?  and  would  Kitty 
mind  going  up  with  her?  An  attendant  ran  to  ask,  for 
Dr.  BHss  was  out  for  his  brief,  daily  drive,  and  when  Grid- 
ley  sent  word  he  should  be  delighted,  they  went  swishing 
up  the  steps  and  out  to  his  veranda,  and  other  visitors — 
two  officers — arose  respectfully  and  made  way  for  them, 
but  there  was  no  Langham  there.  He  and  the  letter,  too, 
were  gone,  as  Miss  Belden  remarked.  Probably  he  was 
answering  it  somewhere.  Presently  it  came  time  to  go, 
and  then  Mrs.  Gillette  casually  referred  to  Langham. 
"  Langham,"  said  impervious,  thick-skinned,  thick- 
headed Gridley,  "  Langham !  Why,  where  on  earth  is 
Langham?  He  went  out  when  you  and  Miss  Belden 
were  announced,  and  I  supposed  of  course  he'd  run  down 
to  meet  you." 

But  Kitty  Belden  knew  he  had  run  out  not  to  meet 
them,  and  when,  flashing  home  in  the  fading  light  some 
thirty  minutes  later,  she  caught  just  one  flitting  glimpse 
of  him,  sitting  very  erect  in  a  jogg>'  carromata,  and  lift- 
ing his  white  cap  without  so  much  as  an  inclination  of  his 
stately  head,  she  swiftly  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  he 


COMRADES  IN  'ARMS  299 

had  seized  that  opportunity  to  drive  down,  pay  his  re- 
spects to  mamma,  to  leave  his  card,  compHments,  and 
adieux  for  each  of  the  other  ladies,  and  would  be  sure  to 
think  she  had  been  in  chase  of  him — all  of  which,  except 
linking  her  in  chase  of  him,  proved  warranted  by  the 
facts  in  the  case,  and  Kitty  Belden  easily  persuaded  her- 
self that  night  she  hated  Pitt  Langham — just  hated  him., 
and  in  her  fury  could  have  scratched  her  own  pretty  eyes 
out — the  red  and  swollen  eyes  that  later  gazed  out  over 
the  placid  waters  at  the  dawn  of  the  day  and  watched  the 
Sumatra  vanishing  into  the  misty  horizon  about  Corre- 
gidor.  And  now  it  w^as  for  no  matter  of  months ;  it  was 
a  year  before  she  again  set  eyes  on  Langham,  and  in  that 
year  what  had  not  happened  to  drive  them  farther  apart  ? 
What  could  have  happened,  what  now  could  happen,  that 
would  ever  bring  them  again  together? 


CHAPTER  IV 
devil's  work  and  its  cure, 

IT  had  been  a  year  fruitful  of  humiliation  and  disas- 
ter. Faithful  to  their  duty  and  their  flag,  the  men  of 
the  twin  services,  the  army  and  the  navy  of  the  United 
States,  had  battled  valiantly,  until,  after  exceeding  labor, 
hardship,  and  privation,  they  had  crushed  the  insurrec- 
tion and  scattered  the  Insurgents.  Then  campaign  ora- 
tors and  anti-administration  papers  denounced  and  dis- 
owned the  deeds  of  the  soldiery ;  revived  and  restored  the 
spirit  of  rebellion,  and  the  misguided  natives,  hearing 
and  permitted  to  hear  only  these  treasonable  vaporings, 
believing  the  nation  spoke  and  not  a  bigoted  few,  took 
heart  and  anns  again,  and  in  many  a  province  and  many 
a  distant  isle  fell  upon  the  far-separated  detachments, 
ofttimes  with  fatal  effect.  Lawton  had  died  in  December, 
pierced  by  a  bullet,  as  he  himself  had  expressed  it,  that 
might  as  well  have  been  aimed  by  one  of  his  own 
people. 

Everywhere  over  the  archipelago  sped  the  secret  emis- 
saries of  Aguinaldo,  scattering  broadcast  translations  of 
speeches  and  editorials  that,  almost  in  so  many  words, 

300 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  tJOl 

incited  the  Filipino  to  renewed  and  desperate  effort.  The 
effects  became  manifest  in  an  hundred  localities  and  in- 
numerable ways.  Couriers,  hunters,  mail  carriers,  tour- 
ists, even  teachers,  were  waylaid  and  hacked  to  pieces. 
Soldiers  who  chased  the  murderers  into  villages  found 
nothing  there  but  protesting  amigos,  for  whom  salaaming 
presidentes,  who  had  voluntarily  taken  the  oath  of  loyalty 
to  the  United  States,  and  in  some  cases  were  yet  holding 
commissions  in  the  Insurgent  army,  vouched  as  innocent 
of  all  participation  in  the  deplorable  crimes.  Guides,  de- 
tailed by  these  officials,  led  scouting  parties  into  ambush, 
where  they  died  fighting;  directed  others  into  narrow, 
tortuous  trails,  where  the  ground  gave  way  beneath  the 
leaders'  feet  and  dropped  them  helpless  to  be  impaled 
on  sharpened  bamboo  stakes,  to  writhe  in  agony  until 
reHeved  by  death;  deserted  them  in  dense  forests  to  die 
of  thirst  or  starvation;  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of 
overwhelming  numbers  of  the  enemy,  some  to  languish 
and  linger  in  foul  prisons,  some  to  be  entombed  alive  in 
the  sands  of  the  seashore,  with  the  helpless  head  exposed 
to  the  sting  of  myriad  insects;  some  to  be  gouged  and 
hacked  and  slowly  butchered  in  sight  and  hearing  of  pin- 
ioned comrades,  powerless  to  help  them;  some  to  be 
slowly  starved  in  sight  of  plenty ;  some,  by  dozens,  to  die 
by  the  sword  in  the  hands  of  a  screaming,  screeching,  tri- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

umphant  host  that  for  long  months  had  lived  on  their 
bounty,  thrived  on  their  gifts,  rejoiced  in  their  friend- 
ship and  protection,  knelt  with  them  before  the  same 
altar,  worshiped  with  them  the  same  God,  adored  with 
them  the  same  Saviour,  and  never  by  look  or  deed  gave 
hint  of  their  foul  purpose  until  summoned  to  the  slaugh- 
ter by  the  bell  that  morn,  noon,  and  night  for  many  a  day 
had  called  them  in  common  to  the  sanctuary — and  all  this 
because  high  exponents  of  a  sect  out  of  power  at  home, 
seeking  to  discredit  the  administration  in  the  eyes  of  the 
people,  recked  not  what  fate  it  might  entail  on  those 
sworn  to  uphold  the  flag  either  at  home  or  abroad. 

"  This  thing  has  got  to  be  stopped !  "  finally  swore  a 
sorely  badgered  general,  as  he  read  the  last  rueful  report 
from  a  column  in  the  field.  "  Here's  another  scouting 
party  trapped  and  boloed  in  the  bamboo,  right  under  the 
presidente's  nose.     Can  no  one  nail  these  villains  ?  " 

"  You  know  the  orders,  sir,"  said  his  staff  officer  dryly. 
"  I  used  to  think  we  were  up  against  the  press,  the  pulpit, 
the  people,  and  the  Indians,  too,  when  we  had  our  annual 
run  for  the  scalp  dancers,  but  that  was  a  simple  proposi- 
tion as  compared  to  this." 

"  Seems  to  me,  with  such  men  as  we  have  in  the  field, 
we  ought  to  accomplish  something,"  said  the  official  head 
of  the  most  disturbed  district  in  the  ken  of  the  chief  at 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Manila.    "  Six  months'  scouting  and  we're  worse  off  than 
when  we  started !  " 

*'  It  isn't  the  men — it's  the  measures,"  said  the  adviser, 
at  his  elbow.  "  It's  like  the  orders  we  used  to  get  long 
days  ago  at  Laramie,  when  the  Sioux  had  scalped  our 
herders :  '  Make  every  effort  to  arrest  the  murderers,  but 
be  sure  to  do  nothing  to  excite  the  Indians.'  There  isn't 
a  better  regiment  in  the  service  than  the  2— th,  though 
Crabbe  and  Sparker  do  belong  to  it,  but  what  can  they 
do  ?  What  could  /  do  ?  What  could  yoii  do  if  you  were 
turned  loose  in  the  hills  yonder,  with  fifty  men  at  your 
back,  bidden  to  put  a  stop  to  bushwacking  and  bush- 
whackers, but  be  sure  to  do  nothing  to  excite  the  fears  or 
animosities  of  the  people  ?  Your  men  are  boloed  by  night 
and  volleyed  by  day.  You  charge  into  the  bamboo  and 
chase  a  lot  of  brown  skulkers  into  a  swarming  village, 
where  the  presidente  bows  and  scrapes,  and  swears  they 
are  todos  ajnigos — hennanos — Americanos — everything 
that  is  loyal  and  reputable.  You  say  that  half  a  hundred 
armed  ladrones  took  refuge  within  his  bamboo  walls.  He 
politely  says  it  is  impossible,  and  five  hundred  villagers 
chorus  impossible,  too,  some  of  them  grinning  in  your 
face.  Don't  you  suppose  that  presidente  knows — and 
those  grinning  beggars  kncm — ^>'Ou're  forbidden  to  lay  a 
hand  on  one  of  them  or  on  anything  that  is  his  from  the 


804  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

church  down  to  a  chicken?  You  know — you're  morally 
certain — that  that  church  is  over  a  magazine,  that  altar 
is  an  arsenal,  just  as  we  found  them  there  about  Manila 
in  February  a  year  ago.  But  the  padre  comes  out  and 
smiles  benevolently  and  blesses  you  and  hijo  mios  your 
men.  You  know  that  in  that  gathering  crowd,  in  their 
white  ropas,  there  are  dozens  that  were  shooting  at  you 
from  ambush  not  an  hour  back.  Your  dead  and  your 
wounded  are  still  uncared  for.  You  are  trying  to  carry 
out  your  orders,  but  you  can't,  because  of  your  instruc- 
tions— the  one  blocking  the  other  just  as  the  War  and 
Interior  Departments  used  to  keep  us  between  two  fires 
on  the  Indian  frontier.  You  know  there  are  hundreds 
of  Mausers  and  thousands  of  Mauser  cartridges  cached 
somewhere  in  that  village.  You  know  that  presidente 
knows  all  about  it,  too,  but  the  only  way  you  can  prove 
it  is  to  rip  things  to  pieces  until  you  find  them,  and  you 
are  forbidden  to  rip.  In  short,  general,  the  man  who 
wins  out  in  this  kind  of  campaigning  does  it  only  at  the 
risk  of  his  commission." 

"  I  wish,"  said  the  general  reflectively,  "  I  wish  we 
had  a  few  of  our  old-time  sergeants  that  knew  how  to  do 
things  without — knowing  how  they  did  'em." 

"  Those  men,"  said  the  major,  "  belonged  to  the  heroic 
age  when  results,  not  means,  were  of  first  consequence. 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  306 

One  thing  is  certain,  sir,  the  2— th  will  never  get  those 
robber  bands  or  their  arms  either.  They  are  too— con- 
scientious, or— conservative.  But,"  he  added  suggest- 
ively, "  there're  the  volunteers.  They've  got  to  be  mus- 
tered out  anyhow." 

And  the  two  veterans  looked  at  each  other  across  the 
outspread  map,  and  presently  certain  wearied  detach- 
ments, disgusted  with  their  hampered  and  fruitless 
efforts,  came  drifting  in,  and  presently  other  columns 
took  the  field,  and  not  long  thereafter  other  reports — very 
different  reports — very  gratifying  reports — began  com- 
ing to  headquarters  at  Manila,  and  eyes  that  had  long 
been  gloomy  took  on  a  light  of  triumph  and  rejoicing; 
tongues  that  had  been  tied  for  fear  of  telling  tales  of 
failure  or  of  scant  success,  now  wagged  with  eager  free- 
dom, for  wondrous  w^ork  was  this  being  done  in  the  once 
intractable  providence.  Long  months,  through  tropic  heat 
and  drenching  rains  and  flooded  streams  and  misty  moun- 
tain trails,  had  the  searching  columns  peered  and  plodded 
and  "  hiked  "  in  vain.  Before  them  vanished  the  wild 
banditti  and  the  guerrilla  bands.  Nowhere  found  they 
anything  but  peaceable  country  folk  or  populous  towns 
all  fervent  in  their  hatred  for  Aguinaldo,  their  love  for 
Uncle  Sam — all  positive  in  their  assurance  that  not  an 
iyisurrecto,  not  a  bandit,  could  be  found  in  field,  barrio,  or 


306  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

pueblo  about  them;  yet  the  moment  the  columns  disap- 
peared, field,  barrio,  and  pueblo  would  swarm  with  native 
soldiery,  armed  with  rifles  or  the  silent  bolo;  and  then, 
here  and  there  and  everywhere,  couriers  would  again  be 
ambushed,  sentries  be  transfixed  with  winged  arrows, 
scouts  and  surveyors  be  found  with  gullets  sliced;  small 
detachments  be  shot  down  by  encircling,  unseen  riflemen ; 
and  they  who  had  been  sent  to  rid  the  province  of  the 
scourge  went  handicapped  with  orders,  dictated  by  a 
policy  of  mercy  to  all — to  all  but  these,  the  silent  and 
subordinate — orders  that  made  them  the  derision  of  the 
native  and  the  laughing  stock  of  lookers-on  of  other 
nationalities. 

Then  at  last  there  began  a  new  dispensation.  New 
district  commanders  stepped  into  the  field,  some  from  the 
regulars,  some  from  the  national  volunteers.  They  were 
men  chosen  because  of  certain  traits  of  strenuous,  vehe- 
ment energy  that  had  marked  them  in  other  sections  and 
at  earlier  stages  of  the  game,  and  in  this  new  dispensa- 
tion the  very  thing  Jim  Gridley  once  wrote  of  as  a  strange 
possibility  came  to  pass  as  a  petrified  fact.  Colonel  W. 
P.  Langham,  U.  S.  V.,  commanding  the  sub-district  of 
Cabeza  Grande,  found  four  companies  of  the  old  regi- 
ment, two  of  them  headed  by  Sparker  and  Crabbe,  already 
encamped  within  the  limits  of  his  bailiwick,  and  now 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  307 

awaiting  his  orders.  With  these  and  with  six  companies 
of  his  own  regiment,  the  volunteers,  the  young  com- 
mander began  his  work.  If  two  or  three  officers  proved 
somewhat  lukewarm,  the  vim  and  determination  of  a 
dozen  others,  regulars  and  volunteers  alike,  more  than 
counterbalanced.  For  now  came  thrilling  tidings :  First, 
that  one  lively  township  had  turned  over  arms  and  am- 
munition for  upwards  of  a  hundred  men;  next,  that  the 
presidentc  of  its  nearest  neighbor  had  surrendered  the 
murderers  of  certain  soldiers  cut  off  from  their  column — 
three  officers  and  fifty-seven  of  the  Insurgent  battalion, 
with  all  their  arms  and  supplies ;  then,  that  his  brother 
official,  ten  miles  further  on,  had  followed  suit  with  as 
many  more.  Then  more  rifles  and  countless  stock  of 
cartridges  were  unearthed  beneath  the  fine  old  church  of 
Batabanga,  and  the  sanctuary  of  Caringay  was  found  to 
be  a  storehouse  full  of  clothing,  arms,  and  munitions  of 
war.  Then  Coronel  Caliente  Cabeza  was  run  down  with 
seventy  followers  in  a  bamboo  thicket  that  had  been 
drawn  a  dozen  times  before  without  success.  Then  the 
president e  of  the  big  and  thriving  town  of  Bongabing 
surrendered  the  band  of  Capitan  Bolo  xA.gudo,  and  good- 
ness knew  how  much  plunder  with  him.  Incidentally  the 
presidente  gave  up,  with  many  apologies,  his  own  com- 
mission as  captain  in  the  service  of  Aguinaldo.     Then 


808  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

another  president e  led  a  little  battalion  of  nimble  Yan- 
kees up  a  twisting  trail  that  ended  in  a  mountain  fortress 
and  a  free  fight  in  which,  sword  in  hand,  a  score  of  na- 
tives bit  the  dust  and  five  score  begged  for  mercy.  i 

It  was  not  long  before  town  after  town,  that  never  be- 
fore had  owned  to  harboring  man  or  musket  of  the  Insur- 
gent force,  was  eagerly  delivering  both  into  the  hands  of 
these  new  American  leaders — leaders  that  looked  so  very 
like  and  acted  so  little  like  their  predecessors;  and  then, 
at  the  demand  of  these  urgent,  wouldn't-be-denied  in- 
vaders, even  the  men  who  had  boasted  of  the  brutal 
assassination  of  helpless  victims — even  the  ring-leaders 
in  many  a  midnight  raid  and  murder — were  run  down, 
brought  in  and  delivered  over  to  the  now  successful  and 
triumphant  Americans. 

More  than  one  officer  had  won  credit  and  high  repute 
in  this  hitherto  perilous  and  thankless  duty ;  but  the  man 
who  seemed  to  carry  everything  before  him,  who  swept 
the  big  island  from  end  to  end  until  he  had  scourged  it 
clean;  the  man  whom  the  double-dealing  and  the  lying 
learned  to  dread,  and  the  would-be  peaceable  to  rejoice 
in,  was  no  less  a  personage  than  our  four-o'clock-tea 
friend  of  Minneconjou  days,  Colonel  "  Pat "  Langham, 
who,  after  four  months  of  service  the  like  of  which  had 
never  before  been  seen  in  that  section  of  the  archipelago, 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  B09 

found  himself  with  no  more  native  foes  to  conquer,  sum- 
moned to  Manila  to  receive  in  person  the  thanks  of  the 
commanding  general,  but  taken  down  with  a  burning 
fever  that  presently  robbed  him  of  his  faculties  and 
lured  him  to  the  confines  of  another  world. 

Then,  just  as  Mr.  Percy  Shafto,  some  ten  thousand 
miles  away  by  sail  or  steam,  was  rejoicefuUy  receiving 
congratulations  at  the  club  upon  his  nephew's  daring  and 
successful  campaign,  upon  the  glowing  tribute  of  the 
press,  and  the  recommendation  of  the  governor  general 
that  the  star  of  a  brigadier  of  volunteers  be  given  as  the 
reward  of  such  stirring  and  invaluable  service;  just  as 
officers  and  men  in  the  armories  of  Gotham's  guardsmen 
were  voicing  their  delight  that  it  should  be  one  of  their 
own  that  had  so  forged  to  the  front  and  "  done  what  the 
regulars  couldn't  do,"  just  as  "  Cousin  Amy,  shallow- 
hearted,"  was  sending  her  felicitations  (she  wasn't  the 
first  woman  to  think  better  of  an  earlier  rebuflF  when  the 
rejected  one  became  famous  in  the  Philippines)  ;  just  as 
another  fair  hand  was  sending  words  of  cordial  and  gen- 
uine regard  from  the  bedside  of  a  babbling,  broken-down 
old  man,  there  came  the  cabled  news  that  Colonel  Lang- 
ham  had  been  landed  very  ill  at  Iloilo.  Colonel  Belden, 
commanding  town,  garrison,  and  sub-district,  had  had 
him  borne  from  ship  to  shore  to  his  own  quarters  in  that 


310  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

stately  island  city.  Then  came  worse  tidings  still — strange 
tidings.  All  on  a  sudden,  scare-headlined  into  startling 
prominence,  came  the  announcement  that  charges  of  a 
most  serious  nature  had  been  lodged  against  this  newly 
discovered  hero,  and  for  a  week  the  anti-administration 
press  went  wild  with  tremendous  tales  of  sensation  ex- 
traordinary. So  far  from  deserving  honor  or  reward, 
this  creature  of  an  imperialistic  usurpation  was  a  brutal 
bully  of  the  lowest  order ;  a  man  guilty  of  "  high-handed 
outrage  on  the  high  seas,"  driving  a  subject  of  Great 
Britain  from  his  post  of  duty,  ordering  him  to  be  bayo- 
neted in  the  ship's  dungeon  (brig?)  ;  imperiling  the 
lives  of  helpless  women,  children,  and  soldiery  committed 
to  his  charge ;  involving  us  in  serious  and  embarrassing 
controversy  with  a  friendly  Power.  (Anything  to  down 
the  administration.  Two  weeks  earlier  the  same  papers 
had  been  howling  at  the  president  and  cabinet  for 
"truckling  to  John  Bull.")  Then,  next  came  "Skulk- 
ing from  his  regiment  and  seeking  '  soft  snaps '  when  his 
comrades  were  ordered  to  dangerous  duty."  Then,  that 
"  the  colonel  wouldn't  have  him  with  the  regiment,  such 
was  the  hatred  of  the  men."  All  this  vouched  for  by 
"  officers  of  high  rank  and  indisputable  veracity." 

And  finally  and  worse  yet,  taken  up  eagerly  all  over 
the  land,  came  that  gruesome  story  that  Colonel  Lang- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  Bll 

ham's   alleged   success   in   subduing  the   insurrectos   in 
Cabeza  Grande  and  adjacent  region  was  achieved  only 
through  the  cold-blooded  butchery  of  natives,  forced  to 
act  as  guides  in  regions  where  they  knew  nothing  of  the 
trails,  and  by  excruciating  torture  of  peaceful,  loyal,  but 
helpless  native  officials,  some  of  high  station  and  char- 
acter, several  of  whom  had  succumbed  to  their  injuries. 
**  Disgrace  and  dishonor  to  the  nation  and  to  the  flag !  " 
proclaimed  these  patriotic  sheets.     "  The  Administration 
Compelled  at  Last  to  Take  Action !  "  was  the  next.    And 
all  this  for  many  a  day  Pat  Langham  was  spared,  though 
poor  Shafto  was  not,  for  the  brutal  assailant  of  high- 
minded  ship's  officers,  the  execrated  of  the  enlisted  men, 
the  cold-blooded  butcher  of  helpless  natives,  the  fiendish 
torturer  of  priests  and  presidentes,  lay  in  a  delirium  of 
his  own  in  far-distant  Panay ;  and  for  the  time  being  at 
least,  envy,  hatred,  and  malice,  joining  hands  with  fever 
and  a  free  and  unterrified  press,  had  our  hero  gagged, 
throttled,  and  down,  with  none  so  poor  to  do  him  rever- 
ence.   Were  there  any  now  to  do  him  simple  justice? 


CHAPTER  V 

BREVET   LOST — A    BRIDE    WON. 

IT  seems  there  were.     A  general  court-martial  was 
ordered  to  assemble  at  Manila,  P.  L,  on  the  — th  day 

of ,  19 — ,  for  the  trial  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  W. 

P.  Langham,  3 — th  U.  S.  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  such 
other  officers  as  might  properly  be  brought  before  it. 
The  detail  for  that  court  was  a  matter  of  difficulty.  Being 
a  volunteer,  the  accused  could  properly  be  tried  only  by 
volunteers,  and  volunteers  who  ''  ranked  "  him.  Now, 
these,  though  widely  scattered  in  point  of  station,  were 
thought  to  be  in  close  accord  in  point  of  view.  Some  of 
them,  West  Pointers  and  Indian  fighters  of  the  line, 
chosen,  because  of  their  energy  in  that  line,  to  command 
volunteer  regiments  against  the  Insurgent  Islanders,  had 
been  heard  to  say  that  the  only  way  to  thrash  Indians  or 
Islanders  was  to  tackle  them  Indian  or  Island  fashion, 
which  was  not  with  gloves,  or  close  observance  of  a  Gen- 
eral Order  devised  for  use  in  battling  a  civilized  and  not 
a  savage  foe.  Some  few  of  them  had  gone  so  far  as  to 
profit  by  Pat  Langham's  example.  Some  two  or  three 
had  courts-martial  of  their  own  to  face  m  esse  or  in 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  813 

posse.  But  a  court  was  finally  found,  generals  and 
colonels  in  sufficient  number  to  go  on  with  the  case,  and 
three  months  after  the  summons  to  come  to  Manila  to  be 
commended  and  promoted,  the  lieutenant  colonel  lately 
commanding  the  district  of  Cabeza  Grande  appeared 
there  in  arrest — and  readiness  for  trial. 

And  with  him  came  as  counsel  Colonel  Belden,  and 
there  to  meet  them,  just  landed  from  Japan,  were  Mrs. 
and  Miss  Belden,  and  if  six  months'  sojourn  among  the 
cherry  blossoms  and  chrysanthemums  and  cooling  breezes 
could  do  no  more  for  maiden  bloom  than  they  had  done 
for  silent  Kitty,  such  sojourns  should  in  future  be  dis- 
countenanced. She  was  paler,  thinner,  yet  more  feverish 
than  ever,  and  Belden  saw  it  with  a  sinking  heart.  Being 
in  arrest,  though  with  the  limits  of  Manila  and  suburbs, 
Langham  found  lodgment  on  the  bay  shore  in  Ermita, 
close  to  the  club,  and  there  Captain  Gridley  came  to  join 
and  comfort  him.  Not  quite  a  mile  to  the  southward, 
General  and  Mrs.  Gillette  still  occupied  their  beautiful 
Spanish-built,  substantial  house,  and  the  Gillettes  would 
take  no  noes  for  answers.  There  the  Beldens  had  to 
come  and  stay. 

Within  a  week  of  their  arrival,  in  a  big  and  breezy 
room  of  the  provost  marshal's  old  headquarters  building, 
the  court  convened  in  solemn  session,  with  a  score  of 


S14  COMRADES  IN  [ARMS 

correspondents  fringing  the  deep  stone  walls,  and  there, 
pallid,  thin,  weak  from  long  illness  and  confinement,  but 
with  fire  in  his  eye  and  fight  in  his  heart,  with  dozens  of 
silent,  anxious,  and  generally  sympathetic  comrades,  and 
not  a  few  fair-faced  women  looking  on,  Pat  Langham 
faced  his  judges  and  his  soldier  fate. 

"  Object  to  being  tried  by  any  member  named  in  the 
order?"  Not  a  bit  of  it;  *' Though  something  I  might 
'plain,"  he  said  (to  self  and  counsel),  of  the  somewhat 
obvious  preponderance  of  officers  who  had  done  next  to 
nothing  in  the  field.  How  said  he  to  the  charges  and 
their  specifications?  (which,  after  all,  fell  far  short  of 
those  prepared  or  predicted  by  the  press).  Not  guilty 
to  every  blessed  charge.  Not  guilty  to  every  specifica- 
tion except  to  one  or  two  which  alleged  in  brief  the  ad- 
ministering of  the  so-called  "  water  cure  "  to  a  so-called 
prcsidente,  and  to  these:  ''Guilty  of  the  main  facts  as 
alleged,  but  only  as  a  military  necessity,  warranted  by 
the  circumstances."    Whereat  there  was  mild  sensation. 

The  first  thing  in  order  was  the  charge  of  abuse  of 
power,  authority,  etc.,  in  the  case  of  the  engineer,  and 
that  bold  Briton  was  on  hand  to  take  the  oath,  tell  his 
story,  and  pocket  his  per  diem,  mileage,  etc.,  which,  as 
he  came  from  distant  Yokohama  at  no  personal  expense 
whatever,  was  no  inconsiderable  sum.    Unblushingly  he 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  315 

unfolded  a  tale  of  having  been^  by  order  of  Colonel  Lang- 
ham,  forcibly  dragged  from  his  post,  thrust  in  a  prison 
cabin,  threatened  with  gagging,  *'  spread  eagling,"  even 
with  death ;  all  of  which  was  duly  recorded.  Then  came 
Belden's  turn,  the  cross-examination,  and  then  another 
exposition  of  the  ludicrous  impotency  of  our  military 
system  as  regulated  by  civil  laws.  To  the  chuckling  glee 
of  brother  Britishers  present,  the  witness  refused  to  an- 
swer a  question,  and  taunted  the  court  with  the  well- 
known  and  melancholy  fact  that,  though  compelled  to 
pay  him  heavily  for  coming  and  going  and  condescend- 
ing to  appear  before  it,  it  could  not  compel  him,  a  civilian 
witness,  to  open  his  head  except  when  he  chose.  It  could 
not  even  punish  him  for  expression  of  the  contempt  that 
he  felt.  Chief  Engineer  Entwistle,  late  of  the  Amanu- 
ensis, having  placed  on  record  everything  he  could  think 
of  to  hurt  the  accused,  declined  to  submit  to  cross-ques- 
tioning that  would  rip  both  his  story  and  reputation  into 
shreds,  and  the  court  had  no  recourse  in  law  but  to 
pocket  his  insults,  while  he  pocketed  the  fees.  It  isn't 
only  our  savage  neighbors  who,  thanks  to  our  legislators, 
have  the  laugh  on  the  military  arm  of  the  nation ! 

But  most  men  knew  the  real  story  of  the  trouble  on  the 
transport.  There  were  officers  and  men  available  who 
could  and  did  riddle  the  Entwistle  version,  to  the  end 


816  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

that  certain  discharged  soldiers,  doing  business  in  a 
small  way  in  Manila,  waited  upon  that  burly  derider  of 
American  men  and  methods,  and  something  happened 
that  compelled  his  remaining  in  the  neighborhood — and 
indoors — until  a  new  outfit  of  clothing  could  be  obtained. 
Certain  British  residents,  too,  united  in  a  letter  to  a 
steamship  company  that  created  a  vacancy  in  the  engine- 
room  of  a  P.  &  O.  Liner,  and  this  while  that  unhappy  court 
was  still  in  session,  wrestling  with  other  and  graver 
problems. 

It  was  the  seventh  day  of  the  case,  and  Lieutenant 
Crabbe  was  writhing  in  the  witness  chair.  It  was  he,  as 
now  learned,  who  had  given  the  correspondents  of  cer- 
tain furiously  antagonistic  journals  these  reports  as  to 
Langham,  and  now  Mr.  Crabbe  was  trying  to  explain. 

It  had  been  developed  in  the  course  of  the  trial  that, 
early  in  the  reorganized  campaign,  Lieutenant  Crabbe, 
sent  with  sixty  men  to  search  for  secreted  arms  and  am- 
munition in  the  Pueblo  of  Catamaran  on  the  Pies  Frios, 
came  back  with  fifty-five  men,  no  captures,  and  a  fish 
story  to  the  effect  that  the  missing  five  had  strayed  away 
and  would  probably  return  by  river.  Thereupon,  it  seems, 
the  lieutenant  colonel  commanding  had  taken  personal 
charge;  the  same  men,  the  same  road,  the  same  pueblo; 
had  found  the  remains  of  the  five  missing,  hacked  to 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  317 

pieces  in  the  bamboo  close  to  town;  that  he  had  there- 
upon called  upon  the  presidente  to  surrender  the  assas- 
sins, the  secreted  arms,  etc. ;  that  the  presidente  called  on 
the  saints  to  witness  that  the  perpetrators  were  not  of 
this  pueblo;  that  all  his  people  were  friendly  and  true; 
that  they  were  poor  and  peace-loving,  and  had  neither 
arms  nor  cartridges,  etc.,  etc. ;  that  the  colonel  had  there- 
upon told  the  presidente  that  he  lied,  that  he  knew  he 
lied,  that  he  knew  the  perpetrators,  knew  that  some  were 
at  that  moment  in  the  jabbering  throng  about  the  church, 
knew  that  abundant  arms  and  ammunition  were  secreted 
somewhere  within  the  walls,  and  finally  that  he  would 
give  him  just  five  minutes  in  which  to  produce  them.  No 
use  to  try  to  escape.  Besides  the  men  at  the  colonel's 
back,  were  others  occupying  every  road,  pass,  and  trail 
leading  to  the  outskirts  and  to  the  open  country-.  The 
presidente  persisted.  The  townspeople  echoed  the  denial. 
Langham,  watch  in  hand,  listened,  placid,  but  implacable. 
"  Five  minutes  are  up,''  said  he,  and  nodded  to  an  old- 
time  sergeant,  standing,  as  said  a  reluctant  Irish  witness, 
"  handy  by."  The  presidente' s  heels  went  suddenly  from 
under  him.  The  presidente  lit  on  the  broad  of  his  back 
on  the  turf,  and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  he  was  bound 
hand  and  foot.  Then,  without  hurting  him  in  the  least, 
but  holding  him   forcefully,  certain  experienced  hands 


318  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

secured  him  to  stakes,  produced  a  tin  funnel  and  a  bucket 
of  fresh  water.  "  Will  you  say — now  ?  "  asked  the  offi- 
ciating sergeant.  The  presidente's  nerve  had  not  yet 
gone.  He  glared  in  wrath  and  hate,  but  held  his  tongue. 
The  tube  of  the  funnel  went  into  his  mouth;  cool  water 
into  the  bowl  of  the  funnel,  and  the  presidente  had  either 
to  swallow  or  choke.  It  didn't  hurt ;  it  was  simply  incon- 
venient. Few  men  care  to  be  made  to  drink  when  they 
do  not  wish  to.  One  swallow  led  to  another,  and  still  the 
presidente  held  out.  No  one  further  touched  or  hurt 
him.  The  discomfort  arose  from  having  to  absorb  more 
water  than  the  system  had  room  for,  even  after  swelling 
visibly.  When  finally  he  began  to  run  over,  the  presi- 
dente was  lifted  to  his  feet  and  asked  very  civilly  would 
he  now  point  out  the  assassins,  and  the  ammunition  ?  For 
six  months  past,  having  been  subjected  to  nothing  but 
questions,  he  had  successfully  concealed  both  arms  and 
the  men  through  whose  agency  our  people  had  been  done 
to  death.  But  this  resurrection  of  an  old  Spanish  method 
was  far  too  persuasive.  At  first  the  presidente  gurgled 
no.  Then  another  pint  was  suggested.  The  presidente 
stood  a  few  minutes'  further  application,  then  "  threw  up 
the  sponge."  He  would  name  the  culprit.  He  would 
point  the  way.  Five  minutes  thereafter,  from  house  after 
house,  aye,  even  from  the  church,  protesting,  cringing 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  319 

creatures  were  dragged  to  light — three  commissioned 
officers  among  them.  Then,  within  the  massive  walls,  to 
consecrated  ground  the  presidente  led  the  searchers,  and 
the  little  arsenal  was  found.  A  repetition  of  the  process 
persuaded  a  neighboring  presidente  to  like  revelation ; 
and  after  that  it  was  never  needed.  The  story  went 
swiftly  from  town  to  town  that  at  last  the  Americans  were 
led  by  an  officer  who  couldn't  be  fooled,  and  who  car- 
ried a  funnel.  The  mere  exhibition  of  that  suggestive 
implement  told  further  p resident es  what  to  expect  And 
so  ended  the  triumphant  defiance  of  Samar  and  its  mod- 
ern Samaritans. 

To  no  word  of  this  did  the  accused  officer  before  the 
court  oppose  objection.  He  stood  quite  ready  to  tell  it 
all  himself,  if  need  be.  No  presidente  had  been  more 
than  temporarily  inconvenienced.  Both  officials  were 
quite  well  six  hours  after  the  ''  treatment " ;  but  all  this! 
had  been  brought  out  by  the  evidence  of  two  or  three  re- 
luctant sergeants,  who  had  acted  under  Langham's  orders, 
and,  primarily,  through  the  enterprise  of  Lieutenant 
Crabbe,  who,  it  seems,  had  questioned  man  after  man  in 
the  district,  and  then  "  considered  it  a  duty  he  owed  the 
army  and  the  nation  to  make  it  known."  Asked  why  he 
had  not  reported  it  to  the  military  authorities  instead  of 
giving   it  to   the   correspondents,    Mr.    Crabbe   said   he 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

feared  the  general  was  in  sympathy  with  the  heutenant 
colonel,  and  would  "  pigeon-hole  "  the  entire  matter.  He 
had,  therefore,  taken  the  most  effective  way. 

Of  everything  else  the  court  could  only  find  the  ac- 
cused guiltless.  Of  the  allegation  that  he  subjected  cer- 
tain native  officials  to  certain  "  torture  "  in  order  to  elicit 
most  important  information,  the  court  had  no  alternative 
but  to  find  him  guilty.  Belden's  plea  was  eloquent  and 
forcible,  but — orders  are  orders.  No  matter  that  our 
people,  soldier  or  civilian,  were  shot  from  ambush,  boloed 
in  cold  blood,  trapped  in  pit-falls,  flayed,  flogged,  and 
tortured  to  slow  and  cruel  death ;  no  matter  that  officials, 
sworn  to  loyalty,  should  give  refuge  to  assassins,  should 
conceal  them,  their  arms,  and  their  supplies — should 
laugh  and  lie  in  the  face  of  the  officers  sent  in  search — 
the  law  and  the  prophets,  the  press  and  the  pulpit  held 
that  only  by  the  rules  of  civilized  war  should  even  sav- 
ages be  handled.  It  was  a  far  cry  from  the  Philippines  to 
Philadelphia,  from  Balangiga  to  Boston.  The  blood  of 
betrayed  and  butchered  comrades  had  little  of  the  Quaker 
strain  at  best,  and  who  at  home  should  care  how  men 
died  when  obeying  the  orders  of  an  obnoxious  adminis- 
tration? The  few  who  clamored  for  the  punishment  of 
the  successful  officers  clamored  loud.  The  many  who 
down  in  their  hearts  approved,  were  silent.     The  Gov- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  821 

cmment  had  heard  nothing  from  tlie  many  and  much 
from  the  few.  Just  as  in  the  days  of  the  Indian  wars  the 
good  folk  farthest  removed  from  the  scene  were  loudest 
in  denunciation  of  the  troops  at  the  spot.  To  these  latter 
it  was  deatli  if  they  lost,  and  defamation  if  they  won.  The 
men  who  put  an  end  to  the  most  savage  and  intractable 
side  of  the  insurrection  were  summoned  in  turn  to  take 
their  punishment.  The  court  being  composed  of  soldiers, 
could  only  find  in  accordance  with  the  facts  and  sentence 
according  to  law.  But  the  men  who  so  found  and  sen- 
tenced came  forth  from  the  council  chamber,  after  send- 
ing their  sealed  verdict  to  the  war  office  at  home,  and  it 
was  significant  that  member  after  member  shook  the 
hand  of  the  accused  officer,  Colonel  Langham,  and  "  cut " 
Lieutenant  Crabbe. 

Then  came  six  weeks  of  waiting — six  weeks  in  whicH 
the  recently  accused  had  little  to  do  but  rest,  recuperate, 
and  await  results.  Corregidor,  with  its  sea  breezes,  had 
been  suggested  by  certain  physicians,  but  James  Gridley 
said  go  to. 

The  Beldens,  all,  were  billeted  in  the  fair  suburb  of 
Malate,  and  something  more  potent  than  sea  breezes  was 
bringing  the  light  to  Langham's  eyes.  Kitty  Belden, 
who  had  never  set  foot  near  the  court-room  during  the 
ten  days'  trial,  was  taking  unaccountable  interest  in  the 


322  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

case,  now  that  it  was  fairly  closed,  and  Belden  watched 
her  with  grave  anxiety.  Crabbe,  who  had  called  thrice, 
had  not  once  been  received.  He  had  appealed  to  Mrs. 
Belden,  who  said  she  could  not  influence  her  daughter. 
He  had  gone  so  far  as  to  beg  that  Belden  should  inter- 
cede, and  got  for  answer  the  discomforting  assurance, 
and  Belden  looked  him  squarely  in  the  eyes,  that  he 
would  not  influence  his  daughter  if  he  could.  Then 
Crabbe  got  a  hint  from  headquarters  to  the  efifect  that, 
the  court  being  scattered,  he  should  make  himself  scarce ; 
that  a  boat  would  be  leaving  forthwith  for  the  south,  and, 
as  Blake  expressed  it,  "  his  company  needed  him  if  no- 
body needed  his  company."  Except  one  officer  specifi- 
cally instructed,  there  was  no  one  to  see  him  off. 

But  the  letters  that  were  speedily  coming  by  every 
transport  from  the  States  1  Shafto  was  in  a  fury.  Shafto 
demanded  that,  no  matter  what  the  issue,  no  matter  what 
the  sentence,  his  kinsman  should  quit  instanter  the  service 
of  a  government  that  could  so  ignominiously  treat  so 
valiant  and  valuable  an  officer !  Shafto  was  amazed  to 
find  so  many  of  the  clergy  and  the  press  against  him,  and 
turned  in  wrath  unspeakable  from  the  door  of  his  favor- 
ite sanctuary  after  a  pulpit  reference  to  the  case.  Shafto 
bored  immensely  the  graybeards  of  the  Union,  the  Con- 
servative, the  Avenue,  and  other  eminently  respectable 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  323 

clubs  that  had  few  connections  and  less  concern  in  a 
campaign  in  the  antipodes.  To  hear  the  scathing  truth 
and  to  learn  genuine  public  sentiment  in  the  matter,  one 
had  to  drop  in  at  "  The  United  Service,"  the  armories,  or 
the  gatherings  of  soldier  societies  growing  out  of  the 
wars. 

i\nd  the  result  was  fully  foreshadowed,  though  to  the 
last  Langham  persisted  in  the  belief  that  a  jury  of  his 
brother  officers  would  not,  in  face  of  such  overwhelming 
array  of  outrage  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  sentence  him 
even  to  censure.  He  forgot  that  a  military  court  is  given 
no  latitude;  it  must  punish  as  prescribed  by  statute,  not 
sentiment. 

And  the  result  was  announced  in  just  the  way  to  hurt 
and  humble  him  most.  It  was  an  exquisite  evening  on 
the  Luneta.  The  band  had  been  playing  its  best.  The 
paseo  was  crowded  with  carriages  and  the  broad  walks 
with  sauntering  throngs.  Arm  in  arm,  Langham  and 
Gridley  came  down  toward  the  kiosk,  lifting  their  white 
caps  occasionally  to  ladies  driving  by.  A  number  of  low- 
hanging,  open  Victorias  had  been  drawn  up  along  the 
curb,  each  attracting  its  little  knot  of  gallants  in  cool 
summer  garb,  and  in  one  of  these  the  friends  caught 
sight  of  Mrs.  and  Miss  Belden.  Langham's  eyes,  indeed, 
had  been  looking  for  just  one  face,  and  found  it  here. 


SU  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Perhaps  it  was  because  of  this  preoccupation  he  failed  to 
note  how  very  many  men  were  regarding  him  curiously 
and  with  strange  sympathy  in  their  gaze — how  many 
were  the  whispers  passing  from  lip  to  lip.  He  had  been 
urged  to  call  at  Belden's,  to  come  and  be  at  home  and 
sure  of  welcome.  The  colonel  himself  had  so  assured 
him ;  but  a  sense  of  something — over-sensitiveness  prob- 
ably— had  kept  him  away.  Not  until  the  case  was 
finished,  the  finding,  acquittal,  conviction,  sentence — 
whatever  it  might  be — announced,  would  he  accept  invi- 
tation even  to  call.  He  and  Gridley  had  driven  out  to 
ruined  Guadalupe  that  afternoon,  and,  returning  by  Culi 
Culi  and  Pasay,  had  reached  the  Luneta  late  and  without 
first  going  to  their  quarters,  where  at  this  moment,  with 
sorrowing  face,  an  aid-de-camp  of  the  commanding  gen- 
eral was  nervously  tramping  up  and  down  the  gallery 
awaiting  their  return.  Quitting  their  carriage  opposite 
the  south  battery,  the  officers  had  walked  but  a  short  dis- 
tance before  coming  upon  the  Belden  carriage,  and  at 
sight  of  it  Captain  Gridley  bethought  him  of  a  man  he 
wished  to  speak  to  for  a  moment,  and  so,  unwittingly, 
left  Langham  to  his  fate. 

Two  men  were  in  conversation  with  Mrs.  Belden,  who, 
on  the  rear  seat,  next  the  curb,  could  not  see  the  coming 
officers.     Kitty — even  >vhile  listening,  apparently,  to  the 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  325 

words  poured  into  her  ear — was  sitting  facing  her  mother 
and  looking  for  him  who  now,  raising  his  cap,  bowed  to 
both  ladies,  and  as  in  dut>'  bound,  first  addressed  the 
elder.  Yet  in  Kitty's  anxious  eyes  he  might  have  read 
some  premonition,  for  there  was  trouble  in  every  face  in 
and  around  that  little  Victoria.  There  were  scores  of 
searching  eyes,  too,  waiting  now  and  watching  on  every 
side.  For  an  instant,  as  he  addressed  her  mother.  Miss 
Belden  believed  that  he  must  have  heard — that  he  had 
purposely  come  forth  that  all  might  see  how  bravely  he 
could  bear  this,  too.  But  that  hope  vanished  the  instant 
he  turned  to  her,  and  in  that  instant,  in  her  eyes,  he  saw 
that  the  news  had  come,  and  that  they  knew  it,  these 
people,  before  him.  Strj^ker,  colonel  of  volunteers,  but 
long  of  the  old  army,  saw  what  Kitty  Belden  saw,  and 
his  lips  signaled  w^arning  to  Shannon,  who  was  at  her 
side.  But  it  was  to  Shannon  that,  as  Kitty  Belden's 
trembling  hand  released  itself,  Langham  turned.  His 
face  went  very  white  and  he  strove  to  speak  calmly,  but 
he  spoke  in  terms  that  told  he  would  have  no  denial. 
"  It's  come,  I  see.  What  is  it,  Shannon  ?  " 
Shannon's  eyes  flew  to  Stryker's  and  round  the  fur- 
tively glancing  circle,  but  Langham's  voice  brought  them 
sharply  back  to  his.  He  shook  loose,  too,  the  hand  that 
Stryker  laid  upon  his  arm. 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

"  Out  with  it,  man !  "  he  demanded,  and  instinctively 
his  left  hand  sought  the  carriage  rail  close  by  Kitty's  side, 
though  he  faced  his  old  friend  and  comrade  and  held  him 
to  his  task. 

"  Langham,  I  can't "  began  the  poor  fellow.    "  Let 

Gridley.    He'll  be  here  in " 

"  Out  with  it  now,  Shannon !    Is  it ?  " 

"  It's  suspension,"  answered  Shannon  miserably,  **  and 
— reprimand." 

One  moment,  in  silence,  Langham  stood  facing  his  old 
associate,  his  face  still  very  white,  his  lips  quivering  a 
bit;  his  right  hand,  hanging  by  his  side,  closed  and  un- 
closed once  or  twice  spasmodically;  his  left,  twitching, 
still  lay  there  on  the  carriage  rail,  close  by  Kitty's  side. 
He  began  slowly  turning  to  his  right — away  from  her — 
until  he  could  regain  thorough  self-command.  Perhaps 
she  thought  him  going  without  a  word,  without  having 
heard  a  word  of  sympathy — that  infinite  sympathy  that 
seemed  to  surge  in  every  heart.  Whatever  the  cause,  it 
overcame  all  consideration  of  maidenly  reserve,  for  with 
sudden  movement  she  swayed  toward  him — to  him,  as 
though  to  arrest  his  going,  and  quick,  light,  unseen  be- 
neath the  folds  of  her  broad  silken  scarf,  both  her  slender 
hands  had  seized — her  left  hand  had  stolen  into — his ;  and 
Langham,  incredulous,  wondering,  even  in  that  moment 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  827 

of  intense  chagrin,  turned  again  for  one  sudden  glance  in 
her  uplifted,  swimming  eyes,  and  in  them  read  compen- 
sation for  a  thousand  ills,  and  thanked  his  God  such  sor- 
row had  not  come  in  vain. 

Not  until  some  hours  later  were  these  two  permitted 
speech  with  each  other — and  without  supervision  other 
than  that  of  the  Man  in  the  Moon.  It  was  past  ten. 
Callers  at  the  Gillettes'  were  less  numerous  than  usual, 
nor  did  they  long  remain.  Something  was  obviously 
uppermost  in  the  minds  of  the  receiving  party.  Even 
Mrs.  Gillette  did  not,  as  usual,  beseech  her  visitors  to 
come  out  on  the  back  gallery  and  see  the  beauty  of  the 
moonlit  bay,  with  all  the  riding  lights  of  the  shipping, 
the  signal  lamps  of  the  fleet,  the  reflected  radiance  of  the 
myriad  stars.  Out  over  the  placid  waters  the  silvery 
tinkle  of  the  ships'  bells  had  tolled  the  hour  of  ten,  when 
the  sentry  at  the  sea  wall  halted  short,  faced  outward  at 
the  gate,  and  presented  arms  to  something  he  had  never 
seen  before — an  officer  coming  up  the  little  flight  of  stone 
steps  from  the  broad,  weed-strewn  beach.  A  tall  officer, 
straight  and  slender,  and  one  who  moved  none  too  briskly 
for  his  years,  was  this,  but  the  sentry  could  account  for 
languid  action  on  part  of  many  a  man  in  uniform.  What 
he  could  not  account  for  was  Colonel  Langham's  coming 
in  the  back  way.    Honest  linesman  that  he  was,  Private 


328  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Rooney  fixed  his  gaze  on  the  far  horizon  as  his  salute 
was  hurriedly  acknowledged.  Possibly  the  sympathy  of 
his  Celtic  heart  had  gone  out  to  the  lately  accused  officer 
— Heaven  knows  it  was  general  throughout  the  rank  and 
file!  Possibly  Private  Rooney,  like  the  gallant  Irishman 
he  was,  had  affairs  of  his  own  in  mind  and  would  never 
spy  on  a  fellow  man.  Certain  it  is  that  he  stood  rigidly 
at  attention,  all  apparent  inattention  to  what  might  be 
transpiring  behind  him,  and  Rooney  never  saw  what  we 
saw,  the  little  white  hand  that  trembled  on  the  balcony 
rail  above,  while  another  white  hand,  cordial  and  clasp- 
ing, met  still  another,  extended  by  the  new  arrival,  and 
led  him  within,  and,  without  delay,  aloft.  The  general- 
ship of  some  generals'  wives  would  be  a  valuable  asset  in 
some  generals'  noddles,  were  it  only  transferable.  Not 
even  Mrs.  Belden  was  in  view  when  Mrs.  Gillette — 
Heaven's  choicest  blessings  rain  upon  her ! — led  Langham 
to  that  seaward  gallery  and  left  him  there.  It  was  all 
her  planning,  for  well  she  knew  how  hard  it  would  be  for 
him  to  have  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  dozens  of  sympa- 
thizers along  the  Calle  Real.  "Come  by  the  Calle 
Marina — the  beach,"  said  she.  "  They'll  all  be  going  by 
ten  o'clock,  and  I'll  meet  you." 

Long  as  he  may  live  Langham  will  never  hear  four 
bells  sound  without  a  thrill.    Some  belated  mariners  were 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS 


still  tinkling,  and  in  sweet,  silvery  cadence,  the  chime 
came  floating  over  the  hushed  and  waveless  waters  as  he 
stepped  forth  into  the  shadowy  veranda  and  looked 
eagerly  about  him.  For  a  moment  he  saw  nothing  but 
the  exquisite  panorama  of  that  moonlit  bay,  but  that  was 
not  the  vision  he  sought.  Then,  just  then,  came  a  faint 
sound,  the  rustle  of  a  skirt  a  little  to  the  right,  and  there, 
faintly,  he  discerned  a  tall,  slender  shape,  all  in  filmy 
white. 

There  was  no  languor  in  his  step  now.  Five 
quick  strides  brought  him  close.  Then  out  went  both 
his  hands,  searching.  One  moment  they  clasped  two 
others  that  trembled  very  much  but  without  a  struggle 
for  release.  Then  with  a  sudden  impulse,  for  nothing 
articulate  had  been  said,  he  let  them  go,  only  to  throw 
both  arms  this  time  about  the  yielding  form  and  hold 
it  close-pressed  to  an  exultant,  throbbing  heart!  It  was 
some  minutes  before  he  or  she  could  speak  coherently, 
or  in  more  than  monosyllables.  It  was  nearer  five  bells 
than  four  when  at  last  he  could  trust  his  voice  with  the 
question — he  could  only  murmur  it  even  then: 

"  They  may  refuse  my  resignation,  but,  just  as  soon 
as  it  is  accepted,  I  shall  go — home.  Kitty,  will — my  wife 
go  with  me  ?  " 

For  a  little  minute  there  was  silence.    Then  she  lifted 


330  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

up  her  eyes  and  looked  him  full  in  his,  with  such  depth 
of  trust  and  love,  mingled  with  sympathy  for  his  soldier 
sorrow,  and  then,  low  and  clear,  came  her  answer,  sealed 
one  instant  later  by  the  first  kiss  of  her  pure  lips: 
"  I  will  go  with  you — anywhere." 


PART    THREE 
What  Happened  in  Gotham 


CHAPTER    I 

ANOTHER    SOLDIER    REWARDED. 

WHEN  you've  had  enough  of  fighting  savages 
on  scriptural  principles,  my  boy,  come  home 
and  'tend  to  business,"  wrote  Shafto  before  that 
sentence  was  announced.  What  Shafto  said  and  wrote 
after  seeing  that  sentence  in  cold  type  will  not  be  here 
recorded.  Langham's  was  not  the  only  case  that  grew 
out  of  the  campaign.  Sooner  or  later  other  officers  trod 
the  path  of  humiliation,  and  later  the  homeward  way, 
where,  however,  were  sometimes  scenes  and  greetings 
never  contemplated  by  the  framers  of  the  Army  Regula- 
tions. Some  men  whose  lot  was  cast  in  the  regular  ser- 
vice had  longer  to  bear  the  burden  of  official  censure 
than  did  Langham,  lately  of  the  volunteers.  As  between 
a  record  for  having  done  more  and  won  more  than  any 
officer  of  his  grade,  and  the  possession  of  a  title  in  com- 
mon with  dozens  who  had  won  nothing  else,  Langham 
probably  got  that  which  he  would  have  chosen.  Further- 
more, he  had  won  a  reward  and  treasure  beyond  price 
that,  but  for  his  soldier  sorrow,  might  have  been  wooed 
long  months  in  vain.  He  was  certainly  the  happiest-look- 
ing man  aboard  the  Teutonic  when,  with  that  sweet 
young  wife  clinging  to  his  arm,  he  gazed  again  upon  the 

383 


384  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

uplifted  torch  of  majestic  Miss  Liberty  and  the  towering 
sky-scrapers  of  lower  Gotham.  They  had  journeyed 
leisurely  through  Japan,  and  lazily  through  tropic  seas  to 
India  and  on  to  Suez ;  had  wandered  through  Italy  and 
Switzerland,  the  Rhineland,  and  the  north  of  France ; 
had  visited  kinsfolk  and  charming  country  seats  in  the 
Shires  of  England,  and  now,  after  many  moons — all 
honeymoons — following  the  final  acceptance  of  his  resig- 
nation, and  that  very  pretty  wedding  in  Manila,  whereat 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Blake  made  one  of  his  customary 
speeches  and  referred  to  our  Minneconjou  brothers-in- 
arms as  seeking  Minneconjou — gal  relations,  they  were 
coming  home  to  Shafto  and  the  great  city,  and  to  a  wel- 
come little  looked  for — that  of  the  comrade  and  knight  of 
old,  of  Minneconjou  days,  for  here  with  Shafto  at  the 
White  Star  pier  stood  James  the  Silent.  Whatever 
could  have  brought  that  fervent  campaigner  so  suddenly 
to  New  York? 

In  Paris  they  had  read  the  news  of  Bullard's  final  dis- 
solution, leaving  what  was  left  of  his  fortune  to  the 
widow.  In  the  Shires  they  had  heard  that  certain  law- 
yers had  appeared  in  the  interests  of  a  very  interesting 
claimant — no  less  a  claimant  than  a  common-law  wife,  a 
very  dashing,  handsome  creature,  who  had  abundant  evi- 
dence, documentary  and  otherwise,  to  prove  her  claims, 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  335 

and  such  a  pathetic,  tear-starting  tale  to  tell — all  of  a 
young,  trusting  heart,  a  guileless  girl  lured  from  home, 
friends,  and  fireside,  tricked  into  a  mock  marriage,  feted 
a  few  years  at  home  and  abroad,  then  basely,  cruelly, 
shamefully,  shamelessly  deserted — just  such  a  tale  as  the 
press  loves  to  exploit  and  the  law  to  linger  over. 

One  of  Langham's  first  inquiries  was  for  Mrs.  Bullard. 
She  had  rejoined  her  own  kindred,  said  Shafto,  was  liv- 
ing on  the  Hudson  and  would  soon  be  coming  to  town 
to  call  on  Mrs.  Langham.  Captain  Gridley,  said  Shafto, 
could  really  tell  more  than  he  could,  as  the  captain  had 
been  twice  to  see  her  since  his  home-coming  from  Manila, 
and  Gridley,  it  seems,  had  at  last  availed  himself  of  the 
privilege  of  a  long  leave,  and  never,  thought  Langham, 
had  his  trooper  comrade  appeared  to  better  advantage. 
Verily  there  was  virtue  in  the  tailor.  Langham  had  al- 
ways rather  dreaded  the  coming  together  of  Shafto  and 
this  far  Western  rough  rider,  but  to  Langham's  secret 
joy,  not  unmixed  with  surprise,  here  stood  his  imper- 
turbable friend  garbed  quite  as  appropriately  as  was 
Shafto  himself — and  Shafto  was  an  authority. 

And  these  were  not  the  only  ones  of  the  old  set  at  Min- 
neconjou  to  welcome  eagerly  the  returning  voyagers. 
With  delight  in  her  eyes,  Kitty  greeted  Mrs.  Mack  and 
her  general  the  vi^ry  evening  of  their  arrival,  and  it  was 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

delicious  to  see  Mrs.  Mack's  easy  acceptance  of  Shafto's 
civilities,  and  to  listen  to  her  tales  of  foreign  travel.  The 
Macks,  too,  had  come  home  by  way  of  Suez  and  had 
visited  sections  of  Europe  not  comprised  in  the  itinerary 
of  the  younger  couple — Greece  and  Ireland  in  particular, 
which  enabled  the  good  lady  to  hold  the  floor  unchal- 
lenged, though  Shafto's  face  was  a  study  when  she  gravely 
told  her  darling  Kitty  she'd  missed  the  chance  of  her  life 
in  failing  to  see  Athens  and  the  Esophagus  by  moon- 
light. Shafto  could  never  quite  assimilate  American  army 
ideas  and  methods,  though  he  took  to  Gridley  at  the 
start,  and  found  much  to  approve  of  in  General  Mack.  It 
was  the  general's  "  lady,"  as  Mrs.  Mack  preferred  to  be 
announced,  that  Shafto  could  not  successfully  interpret. 
"  Is  she  a  type  of  what  one  finds  in  the  American  serv- 
ice ?  "  he  asked  his  nephew.  "  Are  Mrs.  O'Dowd  and 
The  Campaigner  types  of  your  own?"  w^as  Langham's 
laughing  answer.  "  If  you're  looking  for  types,"  he  said, 
"  look  there,"  and  his  proud  eyes  turned  to  where  his 
young  wife  stood  at  the  curtained  archway,  bidding  Grid- 
ley  good-night.  Shafto  was  a  worshiper  there  even  be- 
fore that  first  gallop  in  the  park.  After  that  he  would 
have  made  riding  the  one  ceremony  of  the  day  had  not 
professional  objections  presently  interposed,  on  learning 
the  nature  of  which  Shafto  ordered  his  horses  into  win- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  SSt 

ter  quarters  and  walked  about  the  premises  as  though  on 
porcelain  or  pipestems. 

Shafto  had  long  approved  of  "  Cousin  Amy,  shallow- 
hearted,"  especially  after  she  so  deftly  set  her  cap  for 
him,  for  in  Amy's  brilliant  eyes  what  were  the  snows  of 
December  when  combined  with  such  abundant  bank  ac- 
count? But  Cousin  Amy  struck  a  false  note  when  she 
sought  to  ''  patronize,"  if  not  even  to  "  form,"  her  cousin 
by  the  accident  of  marriage.  *'  This  charming  bit  of 
mountain  heather,"  as  she  described  her.  Cousin  Amy 
dwelt  rather  too  pointedly  upon  Cous'n  Pitt's  former  at- 
tachment and  the  possibilities  of  his  again  becoming 
fickle,  and  in  the  most  innocently  kittenish  w^ay  in  the 
world  succeeded  in  saying  the  nastiest  little  things 
imaginable  and  leaving  Kitty  consumed  with  wrath  until 
Langham  came  home  from  the  office.  "  Pitt  "  told  it  all, 
wdth  a  whimsical  grin,  to  Percy  over  their  postprandial 
cigar  that  evening,  and  Percy,  w^ho  had  noted  Kitty's 
flaming  cheeks  and  eyes  at  dinner,  felt  that  something  had 
happened  to  vex  her  mightily,  and  blazed  up  and  boiled 
over  at  the  recital  of  Amy's  "  ways  and  means,"  to  the 
end  that  all  the  blandishments  of  that  hitherto  successful 
coquette  were  lavished  on  him  thereafter  in  vain.  A 
busy  man  was  Shafto.  He  had  succeeded  in  running 
down  arrd  bringing  to  the  bar  of  justice  the  man  whose 


838  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

villiany  had  wrecked  so  many  modest  homes  and  fortunes. 
He  was  a  "  bear  "  on  the  stock  market  when  a  boom 
seemed  imminent.  He  was  planning  for  Pitt's  new  house 
and  taking  all  manner  of  men,  no  wiser  than  himself, 
into  his  confidence  as  to  nursery  accommodations.  He 
was  at  war  with  the  administration,  while  secretly  ad- 
miring its  vehement  head  and  vigorous  policy.  He  was, 
in  fact,  a  man  divided  against  himself  when  that  charm- 
ing widow,  Mrs.  BuUard,  came  to  consult  him  in  a  busi- 
ness way  about  certain  investments,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled to  say  to  her  that  any  investment  would  be  injudi- 
cious until  the  courts  had  disposed  of  the  mysterious 
claimant  against  her  late  husband's  estate.  "  If  she  come 
into  court  and  swear  to  the  truth  of  her  statements  and 
bring  witnesses  to  prove  the  open  existence  of  her  rela- 
tions with  Mr.  Bullard  while  abroad,  I  don't  see,"  said 
Mr.  Shafto,  "  how  the  court  can  possibly  put  her  aside." 

It  was  at  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  that  Captain 
Jim  Gridley,  hearing  through  Langham  of  Shafto's  dic- 
tum, broke  silence  at  last  with  just  these  three  words: 

"  But  I  do." 

This  was  late  in  November,  and  a  peculiarity  of  the 
case  thus  far  was  the  fact  that  the  fair  claimant  referred 
to  had  been  kept  beyond  the  reach  of  what  her  lawyers 
termed  "possibly  adverse  influences."     Shafto,  who  al- 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  S39 

ways  referred  to  the  firm  as  "  solicitors,"  had  never  en- 
countered them  in  any  way.  All  he  knew  of  tliem  and  all 
he  could  tell  Gridley  and  Langham  when  successively 
they  arrived  upon  the  scene,  was  that  men  on  the  Street 
referred  to  them  as  '*  energetic  and  aggressive  "  in  their 
profession — lawyers  of  the  Dodson  &  Fogg  variety,  he 
presumed.  In  her  desire  to  avert  publicity,  to  remain  in 
retirement  and  hear  no  more  of  the  scandal  attaching 
to  her  late  husband's  name,  Mrs.  Bullard,  it  seems,  had 
besought  her  brother — himself  a  young  beginner  at  the 
law — to  settle  with  the  claimant's  attorneys  and  have 
done  with  it,  even  though  it  left  her  with  a  mere  pittance. 
But  he  had  enlisted  the  interest  and  sympathies  of  certain 
elders  of  the  profession  who,  while  not  at  first  appearing 
in  the  case,  were  yet  keeping  watch  over  it  if  for  no  other 
reason  than  that  the  "  aggressive  "  firm  referred  to  would 
equally  bear  watching.  The  demands  of  the  claimant 
v/ere  pronounced  by  her  attorneys  "  as  no  more  than 
her  rights,"  but  by  everybody  else  as  extortionate  and  im- 
possible. It  was  beHeved  that  if  she  herself  could  be 
found  and  reasoned  with,  a  settlement  far  more  equit- 
able could  be  effected,  but  this  her  attorneys  were  evi- 
dently determined  to  prevent.  She  could  only  be  heard 
of  through  them.  She  would  appear  in  court  at  the  proper 
time  to  demand  recognition  of  her  full  rights.    "  Mean* 


340  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

while,"  said  these  legal  gentr}',  ''  she  has  placed  herself 
and  her  case  unreservedly  in  our  hands,  and  we  shall  pro- 
ceed to  extremities  unless  her  just  and  moderate  demands, 
in  view  of  all  she  has  suffered,  are  promptly  and  fully 
complied  with."  Mrs.  Bullard  had  tearfully  pleaded  with 
her  brother  and  his  older  advisers  to  yield  and  save  her 
the  anguish  of  having  it  all  dragged  to  light  and  gloated 
over  by  the  public.  "  The  longer  you  delay,"  said  the 
claimant's  attorneys,  "  the  more  it  shall  cost  you — in 
more  ways  than  one."  It  was  the  talk  at  two  clubs  that 
settlement  was  to  be  made  on  the  claimant's  own  terms, 
when  Shafto  got  that  singular  wire  from  San  Francisco : 

Just  arrived.  Tell  Mrs.  Bullard's  attorneys  to  refuse  settle- 
ment.    Reach  New  York  next  week.  Gridley. 

They  had  refused  accordingly,  and  looked  to  Gridley 
to  explain,  and  Gridley,  when  he  came,  declined  to  ex- 
plain until  he  had  time  to  "  look  about  a  bit."  "  You  will 
see,"  said  he,  "  they  will  be  in  no  hurry  to  bring  it  to  trial. 
What  they  hoped  was  to  force  a  settlement  out  of  court." 
And  now,  having  looked  about  a  bit  as  he  said,  and 
after  some  lively  comings  and  goings,  and  w^hen  Shafto 
had  sadly  made  known  to  Mrs.  Bullard  that  he  did  not  see 
how  the  court  could  possibly  put  aside  the  claims  of  her 
alleged   predecessor,    Captain   Gridley   had   dropped   in 


COMRADES  IN  'ARMS  341 

most  conveniently  with  his  brief  announcement,  "  But 
I  do." 

And  he  did.  Acting  under  his  advice,  Mrs.  Bullard's 
attorneys,  now  thoroughly  aroused,  scouted  every  claim 
and  dared  their  opponents  to  produce  the  claimant  and 
her  case.  It  presently  dawned  on  these  astute  prac- 
titioners that  some  strange  reinforcement  had  come  to 
the  adversary,  and  for  the  life  of  them  they  couldn't  tell 
what.  Subsequent  offers  of  settlement,  at  half  the  orig- 
inal rate,  being  likewise  rejected,  it  finally  resulted  that 
the  case  was  set  for  trial,  and  ?  grand  sensation  for  the 
press  and  the  public,  a  savory  piece  of  scandal,  was  prom- 
ised for  the  morrow ;  and  then  at  the  last  moment  the 
whole  dainty  dish  was  dumped  into  the  fire.  The  "  aggres- 
sive "  practitioners  and  the  eager  reporters  were  left 
mystified  and  discomfited.  A  dramatic  scene  or  story 
was  utterly  spoiled  by  the  cold-blooded,  calculating,  con- 
summate effrontery  of  a  comparative  stranger  to  courts  of 
any  kind — a  cavalry  captain  from  the  far  Philippines, 
James  Gridley  by  name,  and  this  is  how  it  happened : 

The  case  was  set  for  a  Wednesday  morning,  and  a 
crowded  court  was  looked  for.  At  nine  o'clock  on  Tues- 
day evening  three  men  walked  quietly  into  the  main  en- 
trance of  a  very  quiet  up-town  hotel.  One  of  the  three 
stepped  to  the  desk :  showed  a  telegram  to  the  clerk  on 


342  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

duty,  who  glanced  up  with  quick  interest  in  his  eyes, 
looked  at  the  clock  and  pointed  with  his  pen  to  a  corridor 
leading  to  the  ladies'  entrance.  Silently  the  three  dis- 
appeared beyond  the  curtained  archway,  and  presently 
stood  opposite  the  elevator  and  under  the  full  glare  of 
the  electric  lights,  uncovering  as  a  little  party  came  forth 
from  the  restaurant,  passed  them  laughingly  by,  and  went 
aloft  in  the  noiseless  car.  This  left  them  for  a  moment 
alone;  the  first  of  their  number,  tall,  stern-featured, 
square- jawed,  and,  but  for  his  heavy  mustache,  clean- 
shaven ;  the  second,  bearded  and  bronzed,  a  clear  case  of 
far  Westerner  in  garb  and  bearing;  the  third  a  wiry, 
keen-eyed  fellow  (the  one  who  had  stepped  to  the  desk), 
now  keeping  rather  in  the  background.  At  them  the 
bell-buttoned  door-boy  looked  with  certain  resentment — 
"  Gentlemen  unaccompanied  by  ladies,"  being  expected 
to  confine  themselves  to  the  main  entrance,  lobby,  and 
office.  The  boy  stared  with  keener  interest,  when,  a  mo- 
ment later,  with  much  clatter  of  hoofs,  a  carriage  drew 
up  under  the  porte  cochere.  The  three  came  quickly  for- 
ward as  he  threw  open  the  door,  and  a  side-whiskered, 
eye-glassed,  angular  man  came  up  the  steps  with  a  sin- 
gularly handsome  woman,  in  deep  mourning,  leaning 
lightly  upon  his  arm.  These  two  entered  the  brilliant 
hallway,  and  instantly  the  tall,  stern-featured  man,  pale, 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  843 

and  with  lips  close  compressed,  stepped  forward  and,  con- 
fronting the  woman  without  a  word,  once  more  lifted  his 
hat.  One  glance  into  that  face  she  gave,  then  with  an 
awful  horror  in  her  eyes,  with  a  gurgling  cry  on  her  lips, 
dropped  as  though  shot  dead,  and  lay  in  a  senseless  heap 
upon  the  rug. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  "  gasped  the  spectacled  man. 
"  This  lady  is  my  friend — my  client." 

"  This  lady,  sir,"  was  the  icy  answer,  "  is  my  wife." 
Reporters  stormed  in  vain  that  night.  The  house 
physician  forbade  their  entrance  to  the  rooms  reserved 
by  Messrs.  Lyon  &  Spotts  for  their  client,  known  to 
them  and  to  law,  said  they,  as  Mrs.  Amos  Bullard — the 
other  lady  of  that  name  being,  as  they  claimed,  an  un- 
authorized edition.  But  the  legal  practitioner  present  re- 
linquished the  case,  nolens  volens,  to  the  medical,  and  was 
further  advised  by  certified  minions  of  the  law  in  at- 
tendance, to-wit,  Police  Detective  Corrigan  of  Mulberry^ 
Street,  and  Sheriff  Blossom,  formerly  of  Omaha  and 
Cheyenne,  later  of  Silver  Hill,  S.  D.,  that  the  fair  client 
and  claimant  had  no  right  whatever  to  the  name  he  had 
given  as  hers — there  being  a  "  priory  attachment  "  in 
favor  of  one  James  Gridley  Barron,  a  citizen  of  Cali- 
fornia in  the  eighties,  but  later  known  as  Private,  Cor- 
poral, Sergeant,  Lieutenant,  and  Captain  James  Gridley, 


344  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

— th  Regiment  of  Cavalry,  U.  S..A.  Mr.  Lyon  retired 
for  the  night  and  subsequently  from  the  case,  but  the 
doctors  were  longer  on  duty. 

And  this  was  Jim  Gridley's  sorrowful  story,  told  later 
to  Langham,  Shafto,  and  to  the  attorneys  retained  in 
behalf  of  the  legal  Mrs.  Bullard — four  men  who  listened 
in  silence  and  in  sympathy,  then  wrung  his  hand  at  its 
close.  Born  and  bred  in  the  army,  only  son  of  an  officer 
of  artillery,  some  of  his  earliest  recollections  were  of 
Sitka  and  Wrangell,  and  the  ice  floes  of  Alaska.  His 
mother,  whom  he  deeply  loved,  had  died  when  he  was 
only  twelve.  His  father,  who  had  deeply  loved  her, 
brooded  long  over  her  loss,  but  saved  and  stinted  then 
and  long  thereafter,  with  the  view  and  hope  that  their 
boy  might  be  educated  as  a  gentleman.  The  lad's  own 
wish  had  been  for  West  Point,  but  it  had  never  been  his 
mother's.  An  expensive  private  school  and  then  the 
University  was  the  programme,  and  he  had  studied  fairly, 
and  all  might  have  gone  well  had  he  not,  when  just 
twenty-one,  fallen  deplorably  in  love  with  a  very  beauti- 
ful girl  whose  home  was  in  Sacramento.  His  father, 
now  aging,  had  investigated  as  to  her  family  and  asso- 
ciates, and  gravely  disapproved.  Infatuated,  the  son  had 
married  against  his  father's  wish,  and  yet  the  father  had 
forgiven,  and  tried  hard  to  like  his  daughter-in-law,  but 


COMRADES  IN  [^RMS  345 

retired  presently  from  active  service,  and  then  the  trouble 
began. 

Of  low  extraction,  yet  gifted  with  beauty  and  strange 
power  of  fascination,  the  girl's  ambition  was  to  shine  in 
society  or  on  the  stage.  She  had  expected  to  be  wel- 
comed and  feted  at  the  Presidio,  but  found  that  denied 
her.  They  could  not  afford  to  live  in  San  Francisco. 
Her  young  husband  was  almost  dependent  upon  his 
father,  who  built  them  a  little  home  and  came  to  live  with 
them,  but,  sorrowing  deeply,  happily  died  in  time.  His 
entire  fortune,  a  few  thousands,  he  left  to  his  boy ;  and  she 
fretted,  complained,  and  insisted  they  should  move  to 
the  city.  The  baby  born  to  them  she  rebelled  against 
and  neglected.  Life  with  her  became  a  burden,  yet  he 
loved,  and  so  sought  to  earn  the  means  to  indulge  her 
whims.  A  great  opportunity  opened  in  Alaska.  Friends 
of  his  father's  were  interested  in  the  enterprise.  She 
could  not  go  to  so  bleak  and  miseiaole  a  place.  It  would 
kill  their  child,  she  said,  if  it  didn't  kill  her.  He  left  the 
little  home  and  his  little  nest-egg  of  a  fortune  in  her 
hands,  and  went  hopefully,  prayerfully  his  way  to  the 
frozen  north.  In  two  months,  having  her  infrequent 
letters  posted  in  Sacramento,  she  had  left  her  little  one 
with  her  people  and  moved  to  San  Francisco,  as  she  said, 
'*  to  study  dramatic  art."     She  lived  in  stvle  at  the  Grand ; 


346  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

went  home  less  and  less  frequently ;  spent  lavishly,  specu- 
lated, and  in  a  few  months  ran  through  their  entire 
fortune.  The  little  one  died,  thank  God  for  that!  The 
mother  sold  the  modest  home;  returned  to  the  city  as  a 
dashing  widow  in  becoming  mourning;  soon  found  it 
necessary  to  receive  other  support,  and  a  Nevada  mining 
magnate  stood  ready.  There  was  a  stir  and  scandal  at 
the  hotel ;  a  request  for  both  to  leave ;  and  young  Barron, 
summoned  back  by  warning  letters  that  had  been  long 
months  finding,  and  many  weeks  bringing  him,  returned 
to  find  home,  fortune,  child,  wife,  and  honor — all  gone. 
So  far  as  he  was  concerned,  they  knew  the  rest.  Enlist- 
ing as  James  Gridley,  his  mother's  father's  name,  he  won 
his  way ;  and  as  soon  as  act  of  Congress  could  amend  his 
record,  he  would  resume  his  own.  The  past  had  been 
buried,  so  far  as  he  was  concerned,  until  in  Amos 
Bullard's  beautiful  wife  at  Silver  Hill  he  had  found  a 
woman  wronged  and  in  peril,  and  in  Amos  Bullard's 
assailant  he  felt  confident  he  should  find,  some  day,  the 
woman  who  had  tricked  and  dishonored  him;  had  gone 
from  bad  to  worse,  had  become  a  wanton,  a  swindler,  and 
adventuress. 

For  a  time  she  had  vanished,  but,  as  foreshadowed, 
came  forward  with  her  impudent  claim  so  soon  as  the 
broken  old  man  was  called  to  his  final  account.     An 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  347 

agent,  long  since  employed,  had  sent  him  by  cable  the 
single  word,  "  Come."  At  San  Francisco  full  details  met 
him.  At  New  York  he  put  the  detectives  on  Lyon  & 
Spotts,  and  located  her  in  a  neighboring  city.  He  let 
her  lawyers  bring  her  to  the  metropolis  that  there,  un- 
wittingly, they  might  deliver  her  into  the  hands  of  the 
man  she  most  had  wronged.  It  rested  with  him  now  to 
deliver  her  into  the  hands  of  the  law.  In  this  the  attend- 
ing physician  told  him  he  would  better  be  deliberate. 
Mrs.  James  G.  Barron  was  a  stricken  woman,  but — Mrs. 
Amos  Bullard's  name  and  fortune  were  safe. 

Another  summer  was  come.  The  new  regiments  of 
the  new  army,  enlarged  and  reorganized,  had  gone  to 
Manila.  The  old  regiments  had  come  home.  The  2 — th, 
in  which  Langham  had  spent  his  Minneconjou  days,  was 
rejoicing  in  its  stations  on  Champlain  and  the  sparkling 
Bay.  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Belden,  "  grandpa  and  grand- 
ma'* now,  had  been  having  blissful  days  with  Kit 
and  Pitt  and  "  Precious,"  officially  known  as  William 
Pitt  Berkely  Langham,  Second.  Mrs.  Sparker  had 
called  at  the  charming  new  home  away  up  near  Central 
Park.  Mrs.  Crabbe,  a  recent  acquisition,  had  not. 
"  Cousin  Amy,  shallow-hearted,"  had  flitted  to  England 
for  the  summer,  leaving  Shafto  still  hovering  about  Man- 
hattan, awaiting  for  the  exodus  of  Kit,  King  Baby,  and 


348  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

"my  nephew,  Colonel  Langham,"  to  the  Adirondacks. 
Mrs.  Bullard  was  contemplating,  so  it  was  said,  a  sojourn 
at  the  sea-shore,  despite  Kitty  Langham's  earnest  "  bid  " 
to  come  and  bide  a  while  with  them  in  their  bark  lodge 
in  the  Wilderness,  when  the  plans  of  all  our  immediate 
circle  met  temporary  check  by  the  coming  of  a  missive 
that  might  have  been  foreseen. 

Fort  Grant^  A.  T.,  June  — ,  19—. 
Dear  Langham  : 

Poor  old  "Grid"  is  free  at  last.  You  know  he  brought  that 
fair  incumbrance  out  to  Mesilla,  as  advised  by  the  doctors.  It 
was  the  only  way  to  prolong  her  life;  but  he  saw  and  she  saw 
the  end  was  coming,  and — well,  you  know  Mrs.  Blake  was 
always  commanding  officer,  not  I.  At  her  suggestion  they 
brought  the  dying  woman  to  Curtin's  Ranch  near  us  and  nursed 
and  did  what  they  could,  but  Jim— left  last  night  with  the  mortal 
remains  for  Sacramento,  and  Nan  nearly  cried  her  eyes  out 
bidding  him  good-by.  She  says  he's  the  one  man  she  knows 
that  deserves  to  be  an  angel— or  marry  one.  He  was  too  much 
broken  up  to  write  and  asked  me  to  do  so  for  him. 

My  salutations  to  the  Heroine  of  the  'Manuensis,  likewise  to 
the  Princeling.  She  made  just  the  wife  for  one  of  the  best 
fellows  and  soldiers  I  know.  "Are  there  any  more  at  home 
like — her?"  If  so — ^but  here  my  wife  reads,  interposes,  deposes, 
and  says — and  pulls  my  ear  as  she  says  it — that  the  undersigned  is 
a  silly  old  gabbler. 

Yours  confidentially, 

Gerald  Blake, 
Colonel Cavalry. 


COMRADES  IN  ARMS  849 

"  I  wonder,"  said  Kitty,  as  she  read  this  over  a  second 
time,  *'  I  wonder " 

"  Well,  what  ?  "  said  her  expectant  spouse. 

"  If — well — what  Captain  Gridley  ever  did  with  the 
handkerchief — you  know,  the  one  he  picked  up  at  the 
cottonwoods,"  and  then  the  heroine  of  the  'Manuensis 
bent  to  seize  and  snuggle  the  lusty  little  son  and  heir,  for 
Langham  was  regarding  her  fixedly. 

"  Katherine  Belden,"  said  he,  slowly,  mischievously,  "  I 
begin — to  believe — you  are  still — just  a  wee  bit " 

"  I'm  not,"  said  Kitty  promptly. 

•  •  ■  •  ■ 

Nor  has  she  yet  had  reason  to  be,  but  then,  as  dear 
Amy  says,  he  is  still  young  and  impressionable,  and  the 
novelty  hasn't  worn  off  as  has  some  of  the  bloom.  At  all 
events  it  cannot  well  be  on  Mrs.  Bullard's  account,  for 
now,  three  years  later,  though  Fox,  Gordon,  and  Cham- 
pion have  long  since  reappeared,  and  the  little  lady  of 
Minneconjou  days  and  her  colonel  ride  daily  and  delight- 
edly, there  comes  no  rival  on  Roscoe  from  Silver  Hill 
or  elsewhere.  The  handkerchief  picked  up  at  the  cotton- 
woods  has  found  its  way  back  to  the  original  owner,  and 
that  fair  owner  to  the  cottonwoods  (though  not  those  of 
the  Minneconjou),  for  James  the  Silent  came  and  spoke 
to  some  purpose,  and  the  long  missives  received  by  the 


S50  COMRADES  IN  ARMS 

Langhams  from  the  far  frontier,  full  of  such  womanly 
tenderness  and  pride  and  love,  are  in  the  hand  that  penned 
the  superscription  of  the  letter  Kitty  Belden  capsized  at 
the  Manila  Hospital — the  letter  that  seemed  to  burn  her 
pretty  fingers  then.  The  letters  that  are  so  eagerly,  joy- 
ously welcomed  now — are  signed  Eleanor  Barron. 


FINIS- 


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